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Updated: Jan 29, 2026
Modeling Spontaneous Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma mRCC in Mice Following Nephrectomy
Published on: April 29, 2014
Overview of current and future systemic therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Takahiro Osawa1, Ario Takeuchi2, Takahiro Kojima3
1Department of Urology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Abstract:
Since the 2000s, there have been dramatic advances in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), including drugs targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways. The first VEGF inhibitors approved for mRCC were sorafenib and sunitinib. Subsequently, two mTOR inhibitors (everolimus and temsirolimus) and other VEGF inhibitors (pazopanib and axitinib) were approved. Overall survival (OS) of mRCC patients has significantly increased during this period. Two novel VEGF inhibitors have recently been approved overseas, including cabozantinib and lenvatinib. Additionally, the recent advent of immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has led to significant changes in the treatment of mRCC. The PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab improved the OS rate of patients with mRCC following VEGF inhibitors. Moreover, the CheckMate 214 trial demonstrated the benefit of nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy in OS and objective response rate in treatment-naive intermediate- and poor-risk mRCC. In this review, current evidence related to the clinical use of targeted therapies and checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of patients with mRCC is discussed. In addition, we review ongoing trials investigating combinations of checkpoint inhibitors with targeted agents and the identification of biomarkers to guide patient selection and enable individualization of therapy.
Insights
Advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapy have significantly improved overall survival for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients. This review covers current treatments and future directions, including biomarker identification for personalized mRCC therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Research
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treatment has evolved significantly since the 2000s.
- Targeted therapies, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, have been central to these advances.
- Recent approvals include novel VEGF inhibitors and the emergence of immunotherapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current evidence on targeted therapies and checkpoint inhibitors for mRCC treatment.
- To discuss ongoing trials combining immunotherapies with targeted agents.
- To highlight the importance of biomarkers for individualizing mRCC therapy.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical evidence for approved and emerging therapies in mRCC.
- Analysis of key clinical trial data, including CheckMate 214.
- Discussion of research into combination therapies and biomarker strategies.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements in overall survival (OS) for mRCC patients have been observed.
- VEGF inhibitors (sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, axitinib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib) and mTOR inhibitors (everolimus, temsirolimus) have demonstrated efficacy.
- Immunotherapy, such as PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab, and combination therapy (nivolumab plus ipilimumab), show promise, particularly in treatment-naive patients.
Conclusions:
- Targeted therapies and checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized mRCC treatment, improving patient outcomes.
- Combination strategies and biomarker-driven approaches are crucial for future advancements in mRCC care.
- Ongoing research aims to further personalize and optimize treatment for mRCC patients.
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