This patient-friendly article is about chemotherapy drug, Sorafenib (Nexavar) which is a treatment for advanced kidney cancer. It is a type of biological therapy, called a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Tyrosine kinase is a protein which acts as a chemical messenger that encourages cancer cells to grow. Sorafenib blocks these proteins and thus stops the cancer creating blood vessels (anti-angiogenesis). It is currently being researched for use with liver cancer.
Research published in the NCI Cancer Bulletin, in 2007 showed that sorafenib also improves the survival of patients with advanced liver cancer. It is taken in tablet form.
Side effects are generally mild and can include: diarrhoea, soreness and redness in the palm and soles, fatigue, skin rashes, hair thinning, nausea, bruising and bleeding, raised blood pressure, increased risk of infection, loss of appetite, constipation, aches and pains.
Go to: 10 ways to improve your chemotherapy success and reduce side-effects
Other articles that you may find interesting are:
- A diet for Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy overview
- A to Z Guide to Complementary Therapies
Go to: Return to the CANCERactive drug list