Secondary Polycythemia in a Sarcoma Patient: A Commentary about Cediranib

Cediranib, a potent inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1, 2, and 3, platelet-derived growth factor subunit B, and the c-Kit receptor tyrosine kinase, has shown antitumour activity as an antiangiogenic agent in preclinical models. Initial clinical trials with cediranib in a variety of tumour types, including glioblastoma multiforme, non-small-cell lung cancer, renal cell cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer, showed activity comparable to that for other vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) inhibitors, but with significant toxicities, resulting in abandonment of the drug’s development in 2011. [...]