"I was delighted to take part in a clinical trial as it has the potential to really help others in the future.”
A trial of pazopanib for soft tissue sarcoma that has got worse during or after other treatment (PALETTE, EORTC 62072)
Cancer type:
Sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcoma
Status:
Results
Phase:
Phase 3
This trial looked at a drug called pazopanib for soft tissue sarcoma that had spread (metastatic soft tissue sarcoma).
If soft tissue sarcoma spreads to somewhere else in the body, doctors may treat it with chemotherapy. But sometimes the sarcoma continues to grow or comes back after treatment and more chemotherapy may not help.
Pazopanib is a type of biological therapy called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (MultiTKI). It works by blocking certain proteins called vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs). These are natural body chemicals that control cell growth. Blocking the growth factors may stop cancer growing.
This is the second trial of pazopanib for people with soft tissue sarcoma. The first one showed that pazopanib seemed to slow down or stop the growth in some people.
The aim of this trial was to see if pazopanib helped people with soft tissue sarcoma that had spread and had grown or came back despite other treatment.
Summary of results
The trial team found that pazopanib could help people with soft tissue sarcoma that had spread and had grown or came back despite other treatment.
This was an international phase 3 trial. It was a randomised trial. The people taking part were put into 1 of 2 treatment groups. Neither the people nor their doctor decided which group they were in.
Of the 369 people recruited to this trial
- 246 had pazopanib
- 123 had a dummy drug (placebo)
The average time it took for the sarcoma to start growing again was
- Just over 4½ months for those who had pazopanib
- Just over 1½ months for those who had the dummy drug
Overall the average length of time people lived was
- 12½ months for those who had pazopanib
- Just over 10½ months for those who had the dummy drug
The main side effects reported were
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Feeling or being sick (nausea)
- High blood pressure
- Diarrhoea
- Weight loss
The researchers concluded that pazopanib could help people with soft tissue sarcoma that had spread and had grown or came back despite other treatment.
We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (
) and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.
Chief Investigator
Dr Michael Leahy
Supported by
European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network (NCRN)
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Last review date
CRUK internal database number:
5309
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.
Wendy took part in a new trial studying the possible side effect of hearing loss
