Sutent vs. Cabometyx

Sutent (sunitinib malate) and Cabometyx (cabozantinib) are kinase inhibitors used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma.

• Sutent is also used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumor after disease progression on, or intolerance to imatinib mesylate, and for progressive, well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease.

• Side effects of Sutent and Cabometyx that are similar include unusual or unpleasant taste in the mouth, cough, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dry skin or cracked skin, joint pain, fatigue, weakness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, loss of appetite, pain or swelling in the arms or legs, and shortness of breath.

• Side effects of Sutent that are different from Cabometyx include upset stomach, changes in skin or hair color (yellow skin or lighter skin/hair), hair loss, back pain, tiredness, fever, mouth pain/sores, blisters or rash on hands or feet, numbness or tingling of the arms or legs, bleeding, watery eyes, swelling around the eyes, chest pain, general ill feeling, and uneven heart rate.

• Side effects of Cabometyx that are different from Sutent include swelling of the lips and mouth, indigestion, redness/swelling/pain on the palms of the hands and/or the soles of the feet, high blood pressure, weight loss, headache, dizziness, hypothyroidism, difficulty speaking, anemia, muscle spasms, and high protein in the urine.

• Both Sutent and Cabometyx may interact with nefazodone, St. John's wort, antibiotics, antifungals, barbiturates, antivirals, seizure medications, and grapefruit and grapefruit juice.

• Sutent may also interact with dexamethasone, imatinib, isoniazid, heart or blood pressure medications, medicines to treat narcolepsy, and medications to treat osteoporosis or Paget's disease of bone.

• Cabometyx may also interact with conivaptan, rifampin, rifabutin, and rifapentine.

Common side effects of Sutent include:

Side effects of Sutent include:

• unusual or unpleasant taste in the mouth
• cough
• nausea
• vomiting
• upset stomach
• constipation
• dry skin
• changes in skin or hair color (yellow skin or lighter skin/hair)
• hair loss
• joint pain
• back pain
• fatigue
• tiredness
• weakness
• fever
• diarrhea
• mouth pain/sores
• abdominal pain
• rash or other skin changes such as dry or cracked skin
• blisters or rash on hands or feet
• loss of appetite
• pain or swelling in the arms or legs
• numbness or tingling of the arms or legs
• shortness of breath
• bleeding
• watery eyes
• swelling around the eyes
• chest pain
• general ill feeling, or
• uneven heart rate.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Sutent including:

• headache,
• easy bruising or bleeding,
• swelling ankles or feet,
• unusual weight changes,
• cold or heat intolerance,
• unusual tiredness,
• black or bloody stools,
• vomit that looks like coffee grounds,
• coughing up blood,
• slow wound healing,
• jaw pain,
• toe/joint/back pain,
• painful urination,
• cloudy/pink/bloody urine,
• changes in the amount of urine,
• muscle weakness/cramping/twitching,
• signs of low blood sugar (such as hunger, shakiness, fast heartbeat, sweating),
• mental/mood changes (such as decreased alertness, irritability, nervousness), or
• vision changes (such as decreased vision).

Common side effects of Cabometyx include:

• diarrhea,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• swelling of the lips and mouth,
• constipation,
• abdominal pain indigestion,
• fatigue,
• weakness,
• loss of appetite,
• redness/swelling/pain on the palms of the hands and/or the soles of the feet,
• rash,
• dry skin,
• high blood pressure,
• weight loss,
• changes in taste,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• hypothyroidism,
• difficulty speaking,
• shortness of breath,
• cough,
• anemia,
• pain in the extremities,
• muscle spasms,
• joint pain, and
• high protein in the urine.

Sutent (sunitinib malate) is a multi-kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor after disease progression on, or intolerance to imatinib mesylate, for advanced renal cell carcinoma, and for progressive, well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease. Sutent is available in generic form.

Cabometyx (cabozantinib) Tablets is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy.

Sutent may interact with dexamethasone, imatinib, isoniazid, nefazodone, St. John's wort, antibiotics, antifungals, barbiturates, heart or blood pressure medications, HIV/AIDS medicines, medicines to treat narcolepsy, medications to treat osteoporosis or Paget's disease of bone, seizure medications, or grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Cabometyx may interact with antivirals, azole antifungals, macrolide antibiotics, conivaptan, grapefruit juice, nefazodone, rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, rifabutin, rifapentine, and St. John's Wort. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

The recommended dose of Sutent (strengths available are 12.5, 25 and 50mg tablets). Sutent may be taken without food. Dose modification depends on the type of cancer treated and is determined by the treating doctor. Severe side effects include hepatotoxicity.

The recommended daily dose of Cabometyx is 60 mg. Do not take Cabometyx with food.