Safety of nab-paclitaxel plus sunitinib: analysis of three cases.

BACKGROUND Second-line treatment options are limited in controlling advanced thoracic cancer in patients who have progressed following first-line chemotherapy. CASE REPORT The safety of combination therapy with nab-paclitaxel, an albumin-bound paclitaxel, and sunitinib, a tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor, was evaluated retrospectively in three patients with advanced, previously treated metastatic esophageal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), respectively. RESULTS Grade 3 and 4 toxicities were mainly hematological and manageable. A notable improvement in cancer symptoms and reduction in tumor size were seen in all three patients. CONCLUSION Based on the easily managed toxicities and apparent efficacy of the regimen of weekly nab-paclitaxel and daily sunitinib, we conclude that further evaluation is warranted to assess the efficacy of this combination therapy in previously chemotherapy-treated patients with advanced thoracic cancer.