Outcomes and prognosis in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Breakthroughs in understanding the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma have led to recent therapeutic advances in this disease. However, the US FDA approval of sunitinib and sorafenib (and soon temsirolimus) after successful Phase III trials must also be attributed to the work of clinical investigators over the past decade defining the outcomes and major prognostic factors in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Those past studies have been critical in providing a context for the interpretation of future trials with novel agents, optimizing patient selection for specific therapeutic approaches and identifying appropriate variables for patient stratification on randomized trials. This review will focus on studies that define the outcome and prognosis in advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Keywords::

• metastatic
• prognosis
• prognostic models
• renal neoplasm

Disclosure

Matthew D Galsky is on the speakers’ bureau for Pfizer. Nicholas J Vogelzang and the Nevada Cancer Institute receive research funding for clinical trials from Bayer/Onyx, Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, Roche, Eisai, Sanofi/Aventis, Lilly Oncology and Novacea. Nicholas Vogelzang is on the speakers bureau of Sanofi/Aventis, Bayer/Onyx and Lilly Oncology. He serves as a consultant to Cougar, Pfizer, GPC, Cell Genesys, the Department of Defence and the National Cancer Institute.