Project description:BackgroundIn patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) enrolled in the phase III KEYNOTE-564 trial (NCT03142334), disease-free survival (DFS) following nephrectomy was prolonged with use of adjuvant pembrolizumab therapy versus placebo. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide an important measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and can complement efficacy and safety results.Patients and methodsIn KEYNOTE-564, 994 patients were randomly assigned to receive pembrolizumab 200 mg (n = 496) or placebo (n = 498) intravenously every 3 weeks for ≤17 cycles. Patients who received ≥1 dose of treatment and completed ≥1 HRQoL assessment were included in this analysis. HRQoL end points were assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30, FKSI-DRS, and EQ VAS. Prespecified and exploratory PRO end points were mean change from baseline in EORTC QLQ-C30 GHS/QoL score, EORTC QLQ-C30 physical function subscale score, and FKSI-DRS score.ResultsNo clinically meaningful difference in least squares mean scores for pembrolizumab versus placebo were observed at week 52 for EORTC QLQ-C30 GHS/QoL (-2.5; 95% CI -5.2 to 0.1), EORTC QLQ-C30 physical functioning (-0.87; 95% CI -2.7 to 1.0), and FKSI-DRS (-0.7; 95% CI -1.2 to -0.1). Most PRO scores remained stable or improved for the EORTC QLQ-C30 GHS/QoL (pembrolizumab, 54.3%; placebo, 67.5%), EORTC QLQ-C30 physical functioning (pembrolizumab, 64.7%; placebo, 68.8%), and FKSI-DRS (pembrolizumab, 58.2%; placebo, 66.3%).ConclusionsAdjuvant treatment with pembrolizumab did not result in deterioration of HRQoL. These findings together with the safety and efficacy findings support adjuvant pembrolizumab treatment following nephrectomy.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03142334.
Project description:Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies that reduce the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) recurrence remain an area of unmet need. Advances have been made in metastatic RCC recently by leveraging PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). These agents are currently being investigated in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings to determine if intervention early in the disease trajectory offers a clinically meaningful benefit. While a disease-free survival benefit has been demonstrated with pembrolizumab, results from other ICI studies have not been positive to date. More mature data from these studies are needed to determine whether there is a survival benefit to ICIs in the curative-intent setting. The success of ICIs has also ushered a new wave of studies combining ICIs with other agents such as targeted therapies and vaccines, which are in early stages of investigation. We review the current state of adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapy in RCC and highlight opportunities for ongoing study.
Project description:BackgroundThe benefit of adjuvant immunotherapy after nephrectomy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is controversial. The present study aimed to examine the possible benefit of adjuvant immunotherapy in various clinical settings.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 436 patients with pT1-3N0-2M0 RCC who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy with curative intent at our institution between 1981 and 2009. Of them, 98 (22.5%) patients received adjuvant interferon-α (IFN-α) after surgery (adjuvant IFN-α group), while 338 (77.5%) did not (control group). The primary endpoint was cancer-specific survival (CSS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively.ResultsFifty-two (11.9%) patients died from RCC with a median follow-up period of 96 months. Preliminary univariate analyses comparing CSS among treatment groups in each TNM setting revealed that CSS in the control group was equal or superior to that in the adjuvant IFN-α group in earlier stages, while the opposite trend was observed in more advanced stages. We evaluated the TNM cutoffs and demonstrated maximized benefit of adjuvant IFN-α in patients with pT2b-3cN0 (P = 0.0240). In multivariate analysis, ≥pT3 and pN1-2 were independent predictors for poor CSS in all patients. In the subgroups with ≥pT2 disease (n = 123), pN1-2 and no adjuvant treatment were significant poor prognostic factors.ConclusionsAdjuvant immunotherapy after nephrectomy may be beneficial in pT2b-3cN0 RCC. Careful consideration is, however, required for interpretation of this observational study because of its selection bias and adverse effects of IFN-α.
Project description:Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the ten most frequent solid tumors worldwide. Recent innovations in the treatment of metastatic disease have led to new therapeutic approaches being investigated in the adjuvant setting. Observation is the only current standard of care after radical nephrectomy, although there is evidence of efficacy of adjuvant use of vaccine among all the strategies used. This article aims to collect published experiences with systemic adjuvant approaches in RCC and to describe the results of past and ongoing phase III clinical trials in this field. We explored all the systemic treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted drugs while alternative approaches have also been described. Appropriate selection of patients who would benefit from adjuvant therapies remains a crucial dilemma. Although the international guidelines do not actually recommend any adjuvant treatment after radical surgery for RCC, no conclusions have yet been drawn pending the results of the promising ongoing clinical trials with the target therapies. The significant changes that these new drugs have made on advanced disease outcome could represent the key to innovation in terms of preventing recurrence, delaying relapse and prolonging survival after radical surgery for RCC.
Project description:Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes that are able to kill tumor cells without prior sensitization. It has been shown that NK cells play a pivotal role in a variety of cancers, highlighting their relevance in tumor immunosurveillance. NK cell infiltration has been reported in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most frequent kidney cancer in adults, and their presence has been associated with patients' survival. However, the role of NK cells in this disease is not yet fully understood. In this review, we summarize the biology of NK cells and the mechanisms through which they are able to recognize and kill tumor cells. Furthermore, we discuss the role that NK cells play in renal cell carcinoma, and review current strategies that are being used to boost and exploit their cytotoxic capabilities.
Project description:Nephrectomy continues to be the cornerstone of treatment for localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Despite undergoing nephrectomy, recurrence of disease remains a concern in many patients, and different medical therapies are being investigated as means to decrease this risk. The use of the traditional immunotherapy options has not provided benefit as adjuvant treatment in this disease state. Recently, the treatment of metastatic RCC has experienced key advances with the introduction of targeted agents against the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) molecule and related pathways as well as inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), in addition to improvements in surgical technique. Additionally, there are questions about the optimal timing of systemic therapy in the context of high risk non-metastatic disease. There is optimism that locally advanced RCC might benefit from adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment with these therapies. Ongoing clinical trials are addressing the role of targeted agents in this disease state.
Project description:Despite the rapid development of therapeutic modalities for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) over the past decade to include a number of targeted antiangiogenic therapies and traditional immunotherapy, such as high-dose interleukin-2 and interferon-?, mRCC continues to be associated with poor prognosis. Currently, several novel immunotherapy agents, such as cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, and checkpoint inhibitors, such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1 present on T cells), one of its ligands (PD-L1 present on antigen-presenting cells and tumor cells), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 pathways, are being studied in mRCC and are showing promise as important steps in the management of this disease. This review summarizes the current landscape of standard and emerging immune therapeutics and other modalities for mRCC.
Project description:At the present time, the standard of care for patients who have received nephrectomy for localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is radiographic surveillance. With a number of novel targeted agents showing activity in the setting of metastatic RCC, there has been great interest in exploring the potential of the same agents in the adjuvant setting. Herein, we discuss the evolution of adjuvant trials in RCC, spanning from the immunotherapy era to the targeted therapy era. Pitfalls of current studies are addressed to provide a context for interpreting forthcoming results. Finally, we outline avenues to incorporate promising investigational agents, such as PD-1 (programmed death-1) inhibitors and MNNG transforming gene inhibitors, in future adjuvant trials.
Project description:The most common subtype of renal cell carcinoma is clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). While localized ccRCC can be cured with surgery, metastatic disease has a poor prognosis. Recently, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for advanced ccRCC. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving immunotherapeutic landscape for metastatic ccRCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) like PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors have demonstrated clinical efficacy as monotherapies and in combination regimens. Combination immunotherapies pairing ICIs with antiangiogenic agents, other immunomodulators, or novel therapeutic platforms such as bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy are areas of active research. Beyond the checkpoint blockade, additional modalities including therapeutic vaccines, cytokines, and oncolytic viruses are also being explored for ccRCC. This review discusses the mechanisms, major clinical trials, challenges, and future directions for these emerging immunotherapies. While current strategies have shown promise in improving patient outcomes, continued research is critical for expanding and optimizing immunotherapy approaches for advanced ccRCC. Realizing the full potential of immunotherapy will require elucidating mechanisms of response and resistance, developing predictive biomarkers, and rationally designing combination therapeutic regimens tailored to individual patients. Advances in immunotherapy carry immense promise for transforming the management of metastatic ccRCC.