Adjuvant therapy in renal cell carcinoma

Several drugs have demonstrated clinical activity in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The identification of key metabolic pathways has led to the development of novel targeted therapies which have drastically changed the treatment paradigm of mRCC. Moreover, immune-checkpoint inhibitors have recently shown significant activity in advanced disease. Despite these advancements, the role of adjuvant therapy in localized, non-metastatic RCC remains unclear. The utility of many of these agents in the adjuvant setting is currently being actively explored. In this review, we will summarize the main clinical trials investigating adjuvant therapy in renal cell carcinoma, focusing primarily on immunotherapy and targeted agents.

Cancer treatment reviews. 2017 Sep 23 [Epub ahead of print]

Francesco Massari, Vincenzo Di Nunno, Chiara Ciccarese, Jeffrey Graham, Camillo Porta, Francesca Comito, Marta Cubelli, Roberto Iacovelli, Daniel Y C Heng

Division of Oncology, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: ., Division of Oncology, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy., Department of Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI) Verona, Italy., Department of Medical Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada., Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS San Matteo University Hospital Foundation, Pavia, Italy.