According to data presented at the European Cancer Organisation/European Society of Medical Oncology meeting, sunitinib prolonged progression-free survival in patients with progressive well-differentiated pancreatic islet cell tumours. These findings come from a phase III trial in 154 patients randomised to receive sunitinib 37.5 mg/day continuous daily dosing, with best supportive care or placebo. The trial was stopped early after a planned review by a data monitoring committee recommended that all patients should be offered sunitinib. The interim analysis showed that median progression-free survival was 11.1 months with sunitinib vs. 5.5 months for placebo (hazard ratio 0.397 in favour of sunitinib; p < 0.001). The final data are currently being analysed.