Cabozantinib is a medication used in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a type of kidney cancer. It is also approved for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) and medullary thyroid cancer.

Cabozantinib belongs to a class of drugs known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). It works by inhibiting multiple receptor tyrosine kinases, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor), AXL, and RET. By blocking these receptors, cabozantinib helps to inhibit tumor growth, angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels that supply the tumor), and metastasis (the spread of cancer to other parts of the body).

Cabozantinib is typically used in patients with advanced RCC who have already received prior treatment with other medications such as sunitinib or pazopanib. It can be used as a second-line or later therapy in these patients.

Common side effects of cabozantinib may include fatigue, diarrhea, decreased appetite, nausea, high blood pressure (hypertension), hand-foot syndrome (palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia), and proteinuria (excretion of protein in the urine). Serious side effects may include bleeding, perforations in the stomach or intestines, liver problems, and heart problems.