Open AccessThe Current and Evolving Landscape of First‐Line Treatments for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma
Author(s) -
Calvo Emiliano,
Porta Camillio,
Grünwald Viktor,
Escudier Bernard
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the oncologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.176
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1549-490X
pISSN - 1083-7159
DOI - 10.1634/theoncologist.2018-0267
Subject(s) - medicine , sunitinib , nivolumab , pazopanib , ipilimumab , oncology , renal cell carcinoma , vascular endothelial growth factor , clinical trial , temsirolimus , sorafenib , cancer , pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , immunotherapy , signal transduction , vegf receptors , discovery and development of mtor inhibitors , biochemistry , chemistry , hepatocellular carcinoma
Agents targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (VEGFRs), as well as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and immune checkpoint receptor programmed death 1 (PD‐1) signaling pathway have improved clinical outcomes for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) pazopanib and sunitinib are FDA‐approved first‐line treatment options for advanced RCC; however, other treatment options in this setting are available, including the recently approved combination of nivolumab (anti‐PD‐1) and ipilimumab (anti‐cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated protein‐4 [CTLA‐4]) for patients with intermediate or poor risk. Unfortunately, treatment guideline recommendations provide little guidance to aid first‐line treatment choice. In addition, several ongoing randomized phase III trials of investigational first‐line regimens may complicate the RCC treatment paradigm if these agents gain approval. This article reviews clinical trial and real‐world evidence for currently approved and investigational first‐line treatment regimens for advanced RCC and provides clinical evidence to aid first‐line treatment selection. Implications for Practice Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as first‐line treatment options for advanced renal cell carcinoma; however, the treatment paradigm is rapidly evolving. The combination of nivolumab plus ipilimumab was recently approved for intermediate‐ and poor‐risk patients, and other combination strategies and novel first‐line agents will likely be introduced soon.