<p>In June 2007, 12 research nurses involved in the clinical trials of sunitinib in the UK met to discuss the common side effects they had encountered with the drug. This article represents their efforts to document these side effects and provide practical guidance on how to prevent or manage them, so that nurses who are less familiar with sunitinib will be aware of its toxicities and be confident about dealing with the side effects as the drug begins to move out of the clinical trial setting and into the clinic.</p>