Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Research Articles

Real-World Primary Resistance to First-Line Immune-Based Combinations in Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (ARON-1).

Therapeutic advancements based on immuno-oncology combinations have revolutionized the management of patients with renal cell carcinoma. However, patients who have progressive disease as the best response, "primary refractory" (Pref), face dismal outcomes. Our multicenter retrospective real-world study aims to assess the prevalence and clinicopathological characteristics of Pref patients. This study collected data from 72 centers across 22 countries (1709 patients), involving patients aged ≥18 years with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma. All patients were treated with first-line immune-oncology combinations. Data included patient demographics, histology, metastatic sites, and treatment responses. Radiological assessments followed Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Statistical analyses employed Kaplan-Meier method, Cox proportional hazard models, logistic regression, and the receiver operating characteristic curve. In our study, the Pref rate was 19%. Nivolumab/ipilimumab showed the highest Pref rate (27%), while pembrolizumab/lenvatinib exhibited the lowest (10%). Primary refactory patients demonstrated significantly lower median overall survival (7.6 months) compared with non-Pref patients (55.7 months), p < 0.001. At the multivariate analysis, nephrectomy, sarcomatoid de-differentiation, intermediate/poor International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium risk, and bone and brain metastases emerged as significant predictors of overall survival for Pref patients with renal cell carcinoma. Logistic regression showed a significant relationship between liver metastases, intermediate/poor International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium risk, and no surgery and an increased risk of Pref. This study presents limitations, mainly because of its retrospective design. The ARON-1 study provides valuable insights into Pref patients, emphasizing the challenges of this precociously resistant subgroup. Identified predictors could guide risk stratification, aiding clinicians in tailored therapeutic approaches.

Tivozanib plus nivolumab versus tivozanib monotherapy in patients with renal cell carcinoma following an immune checkpoint inhibitor: results of the phase 3 TiNivo-2 Study

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors are cornerstones of first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma; however, optimal treatment sequencing after progression is unknown. This study aimed to assess clinical outcomes of tivozanib-nivolumab versus tivozanib monotherapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who have progressed following one or two lines of therapy in the post-ICI setting. TiNivo-2 is a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial at 190 sites across 16 countries, in Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and progression during or after one to two previous lines of therapy (including one ICI) were randomised 1:1 to tivozanib (0·89 mg per day, orally) plus nivolumab (480 mg every 4 weeks, intravenously) or tivozanib (1·34 mg per day, orally). Randomisation was stratified by immediate previous therapy (ICI or non-ICI) and International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium risk category. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), defined as the time from randomisation to first documentation of objective progressive disease according to RECIST 1·1 or death from any cause, whichever came first, by independent radiology review. Efficacy was evaluated in the intention-to-treat population, and safety was assessed in patients who received one or more doses of the study drug. This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04987203) and is active and not recruiting. From Nov 4, 2021, to June 16, 2023, 343 patients were randomly assigned to tivozanib-nivolumab (n=171) or tivozanib monotherapy (n=172). Median follow-up was 12·0 months. Median PFS was 5·7 months (95% CI 4·0-7·4) with tivozanib-nivolumab and 7·4 months (5·6-9·2) with tivozanib monotherapy (hazard ratio 1·10, 95% CI 0·84-1·43; p=0·49). Among those with an ICI as their immediate previous therapy (n=244), median PFS was 7·4 months (95% CI 5·6-9·6) with tivozanib-nivolumab and 9·2 months (7·4-10·0) with tivozanib monotherapy. With non-ICIs as the most recent therapy, lower median PFS was observed, with no difference between groups (tivozanib-nivolumab 3·7 months [95% CI 2·7-5·4] and with tivozanib monotherapy 3·7 months [1·9-7·2]). Serious adverse events occurred in 54 (32%) of 168 patients receiving tivozanib-nivolumab and 64 (37%) of 171 patients receiving tivozanib monotherapy. One (<1%) treatment-related death occurred (tivozanib group). These data further support that ICI rechallenge should be discouraged in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Furthermore, these data suggest that tivozanib monotherapy has efficacy in the post-ICI setting. Aveo Pharmaceuticals.

Rechallenging with anti-PD-1 therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Rechallenging with anti-PD-1 therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Effect of isavuconazole on the pharmacokinetics of sunitinib and its mechanism

BackgroundSunitinib, a newly developed multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has become a common therapeutic option for managing advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Examining the mechanism underlying the interaction between sunitinib and isavuconazole was the aim of this effort.MethodsThe concentrations of sunitinib and its primary metabolite, N-desethyl sunitinib, were analyzed and quantified using ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Our study evaluated the potential interaction between isavuconazole and sunitinib using rat liver microsomes (RLM), human liver microsomes (HLM), and in vivo rat models. For the in vivo study, two groups (n = 5) of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated to receive sunitinib either with or without co-administration of isavuconazole. Additionally, the effects of isavuconazole on the metabolic stability of sunitinib and N-desethyl sunitinib were studied in RLM in vitro.ResultsOur findings demonstrated that in RLM, isavuconazole exhibited a mixed non-competitive and competitive inhibition mechanism, with an IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) value of 1.33 µM. Meanwhile, in HLM, isavuconazole demonstrated a competitive inhibition mechanism, with an IC50 of 5.30 µM. In vivo studies showed that the presence of isavuconazole significantly increased the pharmacokinetic characteristics of sunitinib, with the AUC(0→t), AUC(0→∞), and Tmax rising to approximately 211.38%, 203.92%, and 288.89%, respectively, in contrast to the control group (5 mg/kg sunitinib alone). The pharmacokinetic characteristics of the metabolite N-desethyl sunitinib in the presence of isavuconazole remained largely unchanged compared to the control group. Furthermore, in vitro metabolic stability experiments revealed that isavuconazole inhibited the metabolic processing of both sunitinib and N-desethyl sunitinib.ConclusionsIsavuconazole had a major impact on sunitinib metabolism, providing fundamental information for the precise therapeutic administration of sunitinib.

FDA Approval Summary: Belzutifan for Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

On December 14, 2023, the U.S. FDA approved belzutifan (Welireg, Merck & Co., Inc.) for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following treatment with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and a VEGF tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The FDA granted traditional approval based on LITESPARK-005 (NCT04195750), an open-label, randomized, head-to-head trial of 746 patients with advanced RCC that progressed following treatment with both a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and a VEGF tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive belzutifan or everolimus. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by blinded independent central review and overall survival. A statistically significant improvement in PFS was demonstrated for belzutifan compared with everolimus [HR = 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.63-0.90; one-sided P value = 0.0008]. Kaplan-Meier curves reflected nonproportional hazards with similar median PFS estimates of 5.6 months (95% CI, 3.9-7.0) in the belzutifan arm and 5.6 months (95% CI, 4.8-5.8) in the everolimus arm. Although not reaching full maturity, the overall survival results seemed to show a favorable trend in the belzutifan arm compared with the everolimus arm (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.73-1.07). The confirmed objective response rate by blinded independent central review was 22% and 3.6% in the belzutifan and everolimus arms, respectively. Observed toxicities differed between treatment arms, but drug discontinuations and interruptions due to treatment-emergent adverse events were lower in the belzutifan arm compared with the everolimus arm, and a descriptive analysis of patient-reported symptom and functional outcomes was suggestive of favorable tolerability for belzutifan compared with everolimus.

Comparison of the efficacy of sunitinib and pazopanib in patients with advanced non-clear renal cell carcinoma

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (non-ccRCC) is a highly heterogeneous disease group, accounting for approximately 25% of all RCC cases. Due to its rarity and especially heterogeneity, phase III trial data is limited and treatment options generally follow those of clear cell RCC. In the literature, there exists a number of studies with sunitinib, cabozantinib, and everolimus, but data on the efficacy of pazopanib are limited. Our aim in this study was to compare the efficacy of pazopanib and sunitinib, in a multicenter retrospective cohort of non-ccRCC patients. Our study included patients diagnosed with non-ccRCC who received pazopanib or sunitinib treatment as first-line therapy from 22 tertiary hospitals. We compared the progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and response rates of pazopanib and sunitinib treatments. Additionally, we investigated prognostic factors in non-ccRCC. PFS and response rates of sunitinib and pazopanib were found to be similar, while a numerical difference was observed in OS. Being 65 years and older, being in the intermediate or poor risk group according to the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium, having liver metastases, presence of a sarcomatoid component, and having de novo metastatic disease were found to be significantly associated with shorter PFS. Pazopanib treatment appears to have similar efficacy in the treatment of non-ccRCC compared to sunitinib. Though randomized controlled trials are lacking and will probably be never be available, we suggest that pazopanib could be a preferred agent like sunitinib and cabozantinib.

Outcomes of first-line treatment and their association with pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma: Insights from a tertiary care institute in Pakistan.

Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) are renal parenchymal neoplasms that contribute to <5% of cancer cases worldwide. Within the diverse group of renal tumours, clear cell carcinoma is the most common subtype. The recommended first-line treatment for metastatic disease is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor given either as monotherapy or in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, based on improved survival outcomes. These endpoints are not only influenced by the initial risk stratification but also by certain variables such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio. A retrospective review was conducted to evaluate the progression-free survival (PFS) with first-line treatment in patients with metastatic RCC treated at our institute from the year 2017-2021. We also investigated the association of PFS with both Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center risk groups and the pretreatment NLR ratio. Overall, 35 patients were enrolled after fulfilling the eligibility criteria. Of these, 25 patients received Pazopanib, 5 patients were treated with Sunitinib and the remaining patients were administered Pembrolizumab with Axitinib. Two-thirds of the study population belonged to the intermediate-risk group. The median PFS for all participants was 16 months. Among the overall population, patients in the favourable-risk group demonstrated superior PFS. Patients with elevated pretreatment NLR experienced shorter PFS compared to the patients with low to normal NLR. This review highlights the prognostic significance of initial risk stratification and pretreatment NLR in predicting the response to first-line treatment in metastatic RCC patients. As this is a comprehensive study emphasizing the outcomes of metastatic RCC in Pakistan, it fills a void in the literature by providing invaluable perspectives on the real-world outcomes of patients. This not only enhances our understanding of disease management in this region but also lays the foundation for future investigations.

External validation of hemoglobin and neutrophil levels as predictors of the effectiveness of ipilimumab plus nivolumab for treating renal cell carcinoma.

Pretreatment hemoglobin and neutrophil levels were previously reported to be important indicators for predicting the effectiveness of ipilimumab plus nivolumab (IPI + NIVO) therapy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Therefore, we aimed to validate this in a large external cohort. In total, 172 patients with RCC who underwent IPI + NIVO treatment at a multicenter setting were divided into three groups according to their pretreatment hemoglobin and neutrophil levels (group 1: non-anemia; group 2: anemia and low-neutrophil; and group 3: anemia and high-neutrophil). Group 1 showed better survival than groups 2 and 3 (overall survival: 52.3 vs. 21.4 vs. 9.4 months, respectively; progression-free survival: 12.1 vs. 7.0 vs. 3.4 months, respectively). In this large cohort, we validated our earlier observation that hemoglobin and neutrophil levels can be reliable predictors of the effectiveness of IPI + NIVO in advanced RCC. Thus, our approach may aid in selecting the optimal first-line therapy for RCC.

Randomized phase II dose comparison LITESPARK-013 study of belzutifan in patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Belzutifan is a first-in-class hypoxia-inducible factor subunit 2α (HIF-2α) inhibitor approved at a dose of 120 mg once daily for certain adults with VHL disease and adults with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following therapy with a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) [or programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)] inhibitor and a vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. However, whether the belzutifan dose could be optimized is unclear. The phase II LITESPARK-013 study (NCT04489771) enrolled patients with advanced clear cell RCC whose disease progressed after one to three prior systemic therapies, including an anti-PD-(L)1 regimen. Patients were randomly assigned 1 : 1 to receive belzutifan 120 or 200 mg once daily. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST version 1.1. The secondary endpoints were duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Overall, 154 patients were enrolled (120 mg: n= 76; 200 mg: n= 78). The median follow-up was 20.1 months (range 14.8-28.4). The ORR was 23.7% versus 23.1% for the 120 mg and 200 mg groups, respectively [P= 0.5312;-0.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI)-14.0% to 12.9%]. The median DOR was not reached for the 120 mg arm and was 16.1 months (2.1+ to 23.5+) for the 200 mg arm. No between-group differences were observed for PFS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.94, 95% CI 0.63-1.40] or OS (medians not reached; HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.65-1.90). Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events were observed in 35 patients (46.1%) in the 120 mg group and 36 patients (46.2%) in the 200 mg group. The efficacy of belzutifan was similar between the 120 mg dose and the 200 mg dose for previously treated clear cell RCC. Safety at both doses was consistent with the known safety profile of belzutifan. These results further support 120 mg once daily as the preferred dose for belzutifan.

1698P Avelumab + axitinib (Ave + Axi) vs sunitinib (Sun) in advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC): Final analysis of patient (pt)-reported outcomes (PROs) and quality-adjusted time without symptoms or toxicity (Q-TWiST)

1698P Avelumab + axitinib (Ave + Axi) vs sunitinib (Sun) in advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC): Final analysis of patient (pt)-reported outcomes (PROs) and quality-adjusted time without symptoms or toxicity (Q-TWiST)

CN48 Pilot evaluation of RCC4Nurses to enhance nursing education and practice in survivorship care of people with advanced renal cell carcinoma in Europe

CN48 Pilot evaluation of RCC4Nurses to enhance nursing education and practice in survivorship care of people with advanced renal cell carcinoma in Europe

1716P Primary resistance to front-line immune-based combinations in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (ARON-1)

1716P Primary resistance to front-line immune-based combinations in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (ARON-1)

1693P CaboPoint: Final results from a phase II study of cabozantinib after checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) combinations in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC)

1693P CaboPoint: Final results from a phase II study of cabozantinib after checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) combinations in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC)

1712P Real-world efficacy of first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab and its practical predictive biomarkers in advanced renal cell carcinoma: First analysis from RENOIR study [KCSG GU22-13]

1712P Real-world efficacy of first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab and its practical predictive biomarkers in advanced renal cell carcinoma: First analysis from RENOIR study [KCSG GU22-13]

1692P A phase Ib/IIa trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PM8002/ BNT327, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-L1 and VEGF-A, as a monotherapy in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma

1692P A phase Ib/IIa trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PM8002/ BNT327, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-L1 and VEGF-A, as a monotherapy in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma

1702P Updated results of phase II study of cabozantinib (Cabo) with nivolumab (Nivo) and ipilimumab (Ipi) in advanced renal cell carcinoma with divergent histologies (RCCdh)

1702P Updated results of phase II study of cabozantinib (Cabo) with nivolumab (Nivo) and ipilimumab (Ipi) in advanced renal cell carcinoma with divergent histologies (RCCdh)

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib is oxidized by rat cytochromes P450 and affects their expression in rat liver.

Lenvatinib is an orally effective tyrosine kinase inhibitor used to treat several types of tumors, including progressive, radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer and advanced renal cell carcinoma. Although this drug is increasingly used in therapy, its metabolism and effects on the organism are still not described in detail. Using the rat as an experimental animal model, this study aimed to investigate the metabolism of lenvatinib by rat microsomal enzymes and cytochrome P450 (CYPs) enzymes recombinantly expressed in SupersomesTM in vitro and to assess the effect of lenvatinib on rat CYP expression in vivo. Two metabolites, O-desmethyl lenvatinib, and lenvatinib N-oxide, were produced by rat CYPs in vitro. CYP2A1 and 2C12 were found to be the most effective in forming O-desmethyl lenvatinib, while CYP3A2 was found to primarily form lenvatinib N-oxide. The administration of lenvatinib to rats caused changes in the expression of mRNA and protein, as well as the activity of various CYPs, particularly in an increase in CYP1A1. Thus, the administration of lenvatinib to rats has an impact on the level of CYPs.

1706P Efficacy, safety and PKPD of 23ME-00610, a first-in-class anti-CD200R1 antibody, in patients with advanced or metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC): Results from a multi-center multi-country phase I/IIa expansion cohort

1706P Efficacy, safety and PKPD of 23ME-00610, a first-in-class anti-CD200R1 antibody, in patients with advanced or metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC): Results from a multi-center multi-country phase I/IIa expansion cohort

1695P Phase I LITESPARK-018: Dose escalation study of belzutifan in advanced pretreated clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)

1695P Phase I LITESPARK-018: Dose escalation study of belzutifan in advanced pretreated clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)

1691P Subcutaneous nivolumab (NIVO SC) vs intravenous nivolumab (NIVO IV) in patients (pts) with previously treated advanced or metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC): Updated efficacy and safety results from CheckMate 67T

1691P Subcutaneous nivolumab (NIVO SC) vs intravenous nivolumab (NIVO IV) in patients (pts) with previously treated advanced or metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC): Updated efficacy and safety results from CheckMate 67T