Systemic therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in treatment naïve patients: a risk-based approach.
BACKGROUND
Kidney cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the USA, with an annual incidence of approximately 55,000 cases per year. Over 13,000 patients are estimated to die from this disease annually. Cloning of the VHL gene, recognition of the associated abnormalities in sporadic clear-cell carcinoma, and its role as a regulator of the hypoxic response, were important milestones in our understanding of renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) biology and the recognition of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) dependency of RCC. A variety of clinical features, including histologic features, prognostic factors, and patient history of comorbid illness, provide the framework in which the results of recent clinical trials and regulatory approvals of these agents are utilized to develop treatment recommendations for the largest metastatic patient RCC group, the therapy naïve individual.


METHODS
The rationale for use of VEGF-targeted therapy in advanced RCC patients and the recently developed treatment options for these individuals are reviewed. Regulatory approval of sorafenib for the treatment of metastatic RCC (mRCC), was followed by the approval of sunitinib, temsirolimus, bevacizumab plus interferon (IFNα), everolimus, and--most recently--pazopanib. These licences were granted from late 2005 through late 2009, a very short span of 4 years. In treatment-naïve mRCC patients, sunitinib, sorafenib, pazopanib, bevacizumab + IFNα, and temsirolimus were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). The clinical trials and data supporting these approvals are reviewed.


BACKGROUND
This review examines these developments and provides the reader an overview and understanding of available current systemic therapy options for treatment-naïve mRCC patients.


CONCLUSIONS
As multiple treatment options are now available for treatment-naïve mRCC patients, an understanding of how to utilize this group of agents is required. The use of various clinical features allows a rational approach to therapy selection. These features include prior treatment status, histologic subtype, and prognostic group. Further refinement of therapy selection is required and will require further biologic information as well as comparative randomized trials.
Bukowski
Ronald M
RM
CCF Lerner College of Medicine of CWRU, 28099 Gates Mills Blvd, Pepper Pike, OH 44124, USA. bukow464@sbcglobal.net
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A