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Kidney cancer patients at risk of hypertension

Patients with kidney cancer who are being treated with the drug Nexavar are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a new report.

Nexavar is a commonly used drug to treat kidney cancer, however clinical studies have shown that hypertension is a main side effect.

Researchers strongly suggest that patients taking Nexacar should monitor and track their blood pressure with a home blood pressure monitoring device.

Clinical studies

Researchers studied data from over 4500 patients who had kidney cancer in 2006 and 2007. They found;

• 23.4% of patients treated with Nexavar had hypertension.
• 5.7% of patients treated with Nexavar had severe hypertension.
• Patients treated with Nexavar had a six-fold increased risk of developing hypertension.

The researchers wrote in the Lancet Oncology, “Patients with cancer assigned sorafenib (Nexavar) have a significant risk of developing hypertension. Appropriate monitoring and treatment is strongly recommended to prevent cardiovascular complications.”

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