Renal Cell Carcinoma

Researchers have identified higher levels of hepatocytes positive for pERK immunostaining and greater microvascular invasion as independent prognostic factors of recurrence in patients treated with sorafenib Nexavar for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Results from a study of microRNA-34a and natural killer cells presented at the 2017 International Liver Congress suggest that microRNA-34a, one of the most documented tumor suppressor microRNAs, could have a role in regulating cytotoxicity and development of the effector NK cells and their target cells.

Hans J. Hammers, MD, PhD, discusses findings from a phase I study of alpha-1, 3 galactosyltransferase-expressing allogeneic RCC immunotherapy.

Patients were at no elevated risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma after achieving sustained virologic response following treatment with direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C compared to interferon therapy.

Eric Jonasch, MD, professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the phase II study of alternative sunitinib (Sutent) scheduling in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

Metastatic RCC, Progressing on Multiple Therapies

Choosing Second-Line Therapy for Metastatic Kidney Cancer

The findings from a phase II study of intermittent sunitinib in patients with previously untreated mRCC demonstrate that periodic extended sunitinib treatment breaks are feasible and the clinical efficacy does not seem to be compromised.

Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma had objective responses and prolonged survival when treated with single-agent nivolumab, data from a dose escalation/expansion trial showed.

Elizabeth Plimack, MD, discusses the 2-year updated data from the CheckMate-025 trial in RCC, as well as the remaining questions with nivolumab in this setting.

In the treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma, there has been a trend of underreporting and underemphasizing toxicities associated with PD-1 inhibitors.

Tian Zhang, MD, discusses the challenges associated with vaccine development in kidney cancer and the hope that vaccines can still be the answer to improving the response rates with anti¬–PD-1/PD-L1 treatment in RCC.