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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies
Published on: April 12, 2017
Challenges and opportunities for converting renal cell carcinoma into a chronic disease with targeted therapies
1Department of Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ, UK. Martin.Gore@rmh.nhs.uk
Abstract:
Optimum efficacy is the primary goal for any cancer therapy, and entails controlling tumour growth and prolonging survival as far as possible. The prognosis for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has greatly improved with the introduction of targeted therapies. This review examines the development and efficacy of targeted agents for the management of mRCC, the challenges offered by their rapid emergence, and discusses how mRCC treatment may evolve in the future. Improvements in progression-free survival and overall survival rates, observed with targeted agents, indicate that it may now be possible to change mRCC from a rapidly fatal and largely untreatable condition into a chronic disease. The major challenges to further advances in targeted therapy for mRCC include overcoming drug resistance, identifying the most effective sequence or combination of targeted agents, optimising clinical trial design and managing the cost of treatment.
Insights
Targeted therapies have significantly improved outcomes for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), transforming it into a manageable chronic condition. Future advancements focus on overcoming resistance and optimizing treatment strategies for mRCC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) historically had a poor prognosis.
- The advent of targeted therapies has markedly improved patient survival and disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the development and efficacy of targeted agents in mRCC management.
- To discuss current challenges and future directions in mRCC targeted therapy.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of targeted therapies for mRCC.
- Analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) data.
- Discussion of clinical trial design and resistance mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Targeted agents have led to significant improvements in PFS and OS for mRCC patients.
- mRCC is increasingly viewed as a chronic, manageable disease rather than a rapidly fatal one.
Conclusions:
- Targeted therapies represent a major advancement in mRCC treatment.
- Overcoming drug resistance, optimizing treatment sequencing/combinations, and addressing cost are key challenges for future mRCC therapy.
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