New targeted therapies for renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of treatment in metastatic renal cell carcinoma is palliation. In the last 5 years, multiple targeted agents have been developed which have resulted in prolongation of patients' lives, but complete responses remain rare. New therapies and approaches are required to further improve the prognosis for patients with this disease.

Areas covered: This review discusses the molecular targets in renal cell carcinoma relevant to the development of new treatments and describes the progress of novel therapies. The evidence is compiled from the PubMed database and proceedings of scientific meetings, searched up to December 2010.

Expert opinion: A multitude of experimental agents are in clinical development and offer theoretical advantages over those currently in use. It is hoped that these treatments will result in better long-term control of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, with improved side effect profiles, but curative treatment in this disease remains elusive until the mechanisms underlying response and resistance to therapy are elucidated. Progress in the field has been limited by inadequate tissue collection within clinical trials; current and future clinical trial design will incorporate a larger translational component in an attempt to establish predictive biomarkers.

Keywords::

• anti-angiogenesis
• chemotherapy
• immunotherapy
• mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors
• metastatic
• P13K pathway inhibitors
• renal cell carcinoma
• tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Notes

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