A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Safety and Efficacy of Cediranib in the Treatment of Cancer Patients

Abstract

Objective. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are exciting new anticancer strategies. As one of the most promising oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors, cediranib has been proven effective in treating various solid malignant tumors. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cediranib in cancer patients. Methods. A comprehensive literature review was conducted for phase II and phase III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to June 31, 2021, using databases from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science. Relevant clinical trials reporting the efficacy and toxicity characteristics of cediranib in cancer patients were analyzed using Stata 15.1. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system was used to assess the strength of the evidence. Results. The systematic review yielded 14 eligible trials, comprising 4,387 patients with solid malignant tumors. The analysis results of RCTs showed that the cediranib-containing group had a significantly better PFS than the control group (HR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.69–0.82; $P$  < 0.001), and the pooled OS of the cediranib-containing group was significantly higher than that of the control group (HR: 0.91; 95% CI 0.84–1.00; $P$  = 0.041). The sensitivity analysis revealed that the pooled HR was stable and excluding a single study had no effect on the significance of the pooled HR. In addition, the meta-analysis passed Begg’s and Egger’s tests, indicating no publication bias. Regarding safety, the most common adverse events were diarrhea, nausea, hypertension, fatigue, sensory neuropathy, dyspnea, vomiting, headache, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia. Conclusion. Cediranib treatment responds better than noncediranib therapy but can increase the risk of specific treatment-related toxicities.