Vol 7, No 3 (2011)
Review paper
Published online: 2011-08-23
Renal-cell carcinoma — current options for the second-line treatment with specific focus on the role of everolimus
Onkol. Prak. Klin 2011;7(3):113-118.
Abstract
For many years treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been based on administration
of cytokines. However, clinical efficacy of these immunomodulating-agents in general patients’ population
was relatively low. The introduction of targeted agents has significantly changed the prognosis
of advanced RCC patients. Inhibitors of multiple tyrosine kinases (mainly of VEGFR and PDGFR) are
used as first (sunitinib, pazopanib) or second-line (pazopanib, sorafenib) treatment. Despite their evident
clinical activity virtually all patients will develop resistance. The inevitable occurrence of resistance
creates a challenge for oncologists associated with the choice of optimal next-line therapy that would
make possible control of TKI-VEGFR-refractory RCC. Recently it has been demonstrated that axitinib,
a second generation VEGFR-TKI inhibitor is active in RCC patients after sunitinib failure.
However, it is everolimus that remains the only agent currently approved for treatment of RCC refractory to multikinase inhibitors. In a phase III clinical study everolimus significantly prolonged progression free survival and time to deterioration of Karnofsky’s performance status, without significant negative influence on overall patients' quality of life.
Onkol. Prak. Klin. 2011; 7, 3: 113–118
However, it is everolimus that remains the only agent currently approved for treatment of RCC refractory to multikinase inhibitors. In a phase III clinical study everolimus significantly prolonged progression free survival and time to deterioration of Karnofsky’s performance status, without significant negative influence on overall patients' quality of life.
Onkol. Prak. Klin. 2011; 7, 3: 113–118
Keywords: renal-cell carcinomaadvanced stagesecond-line treatmenteverolimusmolecular targeted therapy