Pfizer Inc. is seeking the approval of U. S., European and Canadian regulators to market Sutent, a drug already approved for kidney cancer, for treating advanced pancreatic neuro-endocrine tumours, a rare type of pancreatic cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, neuro-endocrine tumours or pancreatic islet cell tumours affect two to four people per million worldwide annually.

Currently, Sutent or sunitinib as it is known chemically has approval for treating advanced kidney cancer and gastro-intestinal stromal tumour, a cancer of the digestive system, and is also being studied for treating other types of solid tumours. One of Pfizer’s fastest growing brands, third-quarter sales for Sutent touched $246 million.

Study data reveals it can delay the worsening of pancreatic cancer by as much as six months, prompting Pfizer, the world’s largest drugmaker to call an early halt to the trial.

Neuro-endocrine is a cancer of specialized hormone secreting cells of the pancreas, such as, insulin and digestive enzymes.

The other type of pancreatic cancer occurs in the ducts i. e. small tubes of the pancreas, which transport digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the small intestine.

However, Sutent does not come without side-effects, the most common being, a low white blood cell count, high blood pressure, diarrheoa, abdominal pain, low blood sugar and swelling of the hands and feet.