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Updated: May 13, 2026
Modeling Spontaneous Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC) in Mice Following Nephrectomy
Published on: April 29, 2014
Renal cell cancer treated with a single-edged sword
Emerson Lim1, Edward P Gelmann
1Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, 177 Fort Washington Avenue, MHB 6N-435, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Abstract:
Preclinical and early clinical data suggest that antiangiogenic treatments may lead to more aggressive tumors. In this issue of Cell Reports, Blagoev et al. (2013) show that sunitinib, a multikinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic effects, does not worsen the survival of patients with metastatic kidney cancer.
Insights
Antiangiogenic therapies, like sunitinib, may not increase tumor aggressiveness. This study found sunitinib did not worsen survival for patients with metastatic kidney cancer, challenging earlier concerns.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cancer Research
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Emerging data suggested antiangiogenic treatments could promote tumor aggressiveness.
- The clinical impact of these effects on patient survival remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of sunitinib, an antiangiogenic drug, on the survival of patients with metastatic kidney cancer.
- To address concerns regarding potential tumor acceleration by antiangiogenic therapies.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patient data.
- Evaluation of survival outcomes in metastatic kidney cancer patients treated with sunitinib.
Main Results:
- Sunitinib treatment did not correlate with worsened patient survival.
- No evidence of increased tumor aggressiveness or detrimental survival impact was observed.
Conclusions:
- Sunitinib, a multikinase inhibitor, appears safe regarding tumor progression in metastatic kidney cancer.
- The findings suggest that antiangiogenic therapy may not necessarily lead to more aggressive tumors in this patient population.
