Metastatic renal cell carcinoma: update on epidemiology, genetics, and therapeutic modalities

• Published in: ImmunoTargets and therapy Vol. 2; no. Issue 1; pp. 73 - 90
• Main Authors: Graves, Angela, Hessamodini, Hannah, Wong, Germaine, Lim, Wai H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2013; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Carcinoma, Renal cell; Epidemiology; Kidney cancer; Metastases; Metastasis; Rapamycin; Renal cell carcinoma; Review; Risk factors; TOR protein; treatment; Vascular endothelial growth factor; metastatic renal cell carcinoma; cytokines; immunotherapy; targeted treatment
• ISSN: 2253-1556; 2253-1556
• DOI: 10.2147/ITT.S31426

The treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains a major therapeutic challenge for clinicians. Despite advances in the understanding of the immunobiology of RCC and the availability of several novel targeted agents, there has been little improvement in the survival of patients with metastatic RCC. This review will focus on the recent understanding of risk factors and treatment options and outcomes of metastatic RCC, in particular, targeted therapeutic agents that inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor and mammalian target of rapamycin pathways. Prospective studies are required to determine whether sequential targeted therapy will further improve progression-free survival in RCC. Ongoing research to develop novel agents with better tolerability and enhanced efficacy in the treatment of metastatic RCC is required.