Recent advances in the therapy of renal cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Metastatic clear cell renal cell cancer was historically treated with cytokines like interferon and interleukin-2.
• Recent advancements in understanding cancer biology have led to the development of novel targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of novel targeted therapeutic agents on the treatment of metastatic clear cell renal cell cancer.
• To highlight the efficacy of agents targeting vascular endothelial growth factor, its receptor, and the mTOR pathway.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical outcomes from randomized trials comparing novel agents to interferon.
• Evaluation of early studies on multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors and antiangiogenic agents.
• Assessment of ongoing combination therapy trials.

Main Results:

• Sunitinib malate, sorafenib, and temsirolimus demonstrated improved clinical outcomes versus interferon in randomized trials.
• Other agents like lapatinib, axatinib, pazopanib, bevacizumab, and lenalidomide showed activity in early studies.
• Combination therapies are currently under evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Novel targeted agents have significantly improved the treatment outlook for renal cell cancer.
• The efficacy of these agents suggests a promising future for renal cancer therapy.
• Vigorous support for ongoing and future clinical trials is crucial.