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Perioperative Therapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma: What Do We Know, What Have We Learned, What's Next?

Naomi B Haas1, Robert G Uzzo1

  • 1Naomi B. Haas, Abramson Cancer Center; and Robert G. Uzzo, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA.

Insights

Adjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitors in high-risk kidney cancer showed mixed disease-free survival results and no overall survival benefit, prompting a reevaluation of treatment strategies. Future trials may focus on immune checkpoint inhibitors for better outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Translational Research
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • Adjuvant therapy for resected high-risk renal cell carcinoma (RCC) aims to prevent recurrence.
  • Vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF TKIs) have been investigated in this setting.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the results and conduct of recent adjuvant VEGF TKI trials in high-risk resected RCC.
  • To provide insights into optimizing treatment goals and strategies for high-risk RCC.
  • To inform the design of future adjuvant and perioperative trials, including those with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Main Methods:

  • Review and discussion of data from adjuvant clinical trials comparing sunitinib, sorafenib, pazopanib, and axitinib against placebo in resected high-risk RCC.
  • Analysis of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) outcomes.
  • Evaluation of trial conduct and potential biases.

Main Results:

  • Adjuvant VEGF TKI trials demonstrated a mixed impact on disease-free survival.
  • No significant improvement in overall survival was observed across these trials.
  • The findings have generated controversy regarding the efficacy of VEGF TKIs in the adjuvant setting for RCC.

Conclusions:

  • Current adjuvant VEGF TKI therapy offers limited benefit for high-risk resected renal cell carcinoma.
  • Lessons learned from these trials are crucial for designing more effective future adjuvant and perioperative treatment strategies.
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a promising avenue for future adjuvant trials in high-risk RCC.

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