Primary Renal Tumour Response in Patients Treated with Nivolumab for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results from the GETUG-AFU 26 NIVOREN Trial

Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Immune-based Approach for Renal Cell Carcinoma: Pros, Cons, and Future Directions

CONTEXT

Immune-oncology strategies are revolutionising the perioperative treatment in several tumour types. The perioperative setting of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an evolving field, and the advent of immunotherapy is producing significant advances.

OBJECTIVE

To critically review the potential pros and cons of adjuvant and neoadjuvant immune-based therapeutic strategies in RCC, and to provide insights for future research in this field.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We performed a collaborative narrative review of the existing literature.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Adjuvant immunotherapy with pembrolizumab is a new standard of care for patients at a higher risk of recurrence after nephrectomy, demonstrating a disease-free survival and overall survival benefit in the phase 3 KEYNOTE-564 trial. Current data do not support neoadjuvant therapy use outside clinical trials. While both adjuvant and neoadjuvant immune-based approaches are driven by robust biological rationale, neoadjuvant immunotherapy may enable a stronger and more durable antitumour immune response. If neoadjuvant single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors demonstrated limited activity on the primary tumour, immune-based combinations may show increased activity. Overtreatment and a risk of relevant toxicity for patients who are cured by surgery alone are common concerns for both neoadjuvant and adjuvant strategies. Biomarkers helping patient selection and treatment deintensification are lacking in RCC. No results from randomised trials comparing neoadjuvant or perioperative immune-based therapy with adjuvant immunotherapy are available.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant immunotherapy is a new standard of care in RCC. Both neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy strategies have potential advantages and disadvantages. Optimising perioperative treatment strategies is nuanced, with the role of neoadjuvant immune-based therapies yet to be defined. Given strong biological rationale for a pre/perioperative approach, there is a need for prospective clinical trials to determine clinical efficacy. Research investigating biomarkers aiding patient selection and treatment deintensification strategies is needed.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Immunotherapy is transforming the treatment of kidney cancer. In this review, we looked at the studies investigating immunotherapy strategies before and/or after surgery for patients with kidney cancer to assess potential pros and cons. We concluded that both neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy strategies may have potential advantages and disadvantages. While immunotherapy administered after surgery is already a standard of care, immunotherapy before surgery should be better investigated in future studies. Future trials should also focus on the selection of patients in order to spare toxicity for patients who will be cured by surgery alone.

[Surgical and pathological consequences of preoperative immunotherapy in onco-urology]

INTRODUCTION

Patients treated with immunotherapy might need surgical procedures in addition to the medical treatment. The main indications are cytoreductive nephrectomy, cystectomy (as part of clinical trials) and metastasis removal in some oligometastatic patients. This study aims to assess the feasibility of surgery for patients treated by immunotherapy and describes the histological modifications found in the pathological analysis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, monocentric study. We included all patients operated for a urologic cancer and previously treated with systemic immunotherapy between February 2018 and June 2022. We compared this population with a control group of patients treated with surgery without having previous immunotherapy. Patients were compared according to the cancer type, age and sex. We compared perioperative complications. We performed an analysis for evaluation of the peri-tumoral inflammatory infiltration.

RESULTS

We included 50 patients in this study. The two groups were comparable in age (63.7 vs. 63.3years old, P=0.95) and sex (4 and 6 women in the first and second group). The peroperatory complication rate was comparable (20% vs. 16%, P=1). The mean bleeding volume was comparable (664 vs. 629mL; P=0.89). The postoperative complication rate (48% vs. 56%; P=0.78) and their grade (Clavien III-IV 8% vs. 24%; P=0.24) were comparable. The anatomopathological analysis described the same rate and intensity of peri-tumoral inflammatory infiltrate (96% vs. 96%; P=1).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative immunotherapy does not appear to be associated with increased surgical difficulty and perioperative complications. Blind histological analysis of the surgical specimens did not reveal any specific features related to pre operative immunotherapy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Grade 3 HAS.

Upfront versus deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy following targeted or immunotherapy: a population-based propensity score-matched analysis of perioperative complications

PURPOSE

To evaluate the incidence of postoperative complications after cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) following first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), and to compare it with postoperative complications of upfront CN.

METHODS

For this population-based retrospective study, the PearlDiver Mariner database (PearlDiver Technologies, Colorado Springs, CO), a database of insurance billing records was analyzed. Using relevant ICD-9/10 and CPT codes, patients diagnosed with mRCC between 2011 and 2021, who received first-line systemic molecular therapy (SMT), either tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) or immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), were identified. The selected population was stratified into two cohorts according to the timing of CN (deferred: after SMT vs. upfront: before SMT). Propensity-score matching (PSM) was performed as per baseline patients' characteristics to control for potential confounders between the two cohorts. The primary outcome was to compare 30-day postoperative complications rate between patients undergoing upfront vs. deferred CN.

RESULTS

After PSM, 162 patients who received upfront CN were compared with 162 patients who underwent deferred CN. The overall rate of 30-day postoperative complications was statistically significantly higher in patients undergoing deferred CN (33.9%), compared to patients treated with upfront CN (21%, p < 0.01). In addition, the rate of both medical (26.5% vs. 14.2%, p < 0.01) and surgical (14.8 vs. 7.4%, p = 0.03) complication rate was statistically significantly higher in deferred vs. upfront CN. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that none of the treatment regimens significantly predicted the occurrence of postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing deferred CN experience a higher rates of overall, medical, and surgical 30-day postoperative complications compared to those receiving upfront surgery. Findings from this study should be interpreted within the limitations of this type of analysis.

Ketogenic diet enhances the anti-cancer effects of PD-L1 blockade in renal cell carcinoma

Introduction

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by a predominant metabolic reprogramming triggering energy production by anaerobic glycolysis at the expense of oxydative phosphorylation. Ketogenic diet (KD), which consists of high fat and low carbohydrate intake, could bring required energy substrates to healthy cells while depriving tumor cells of glucose. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of KD on renal cancer cell tumor metabolism and growth proliferation.

Methods

Growth cell proliferation and mitochondrial metabolism of ACHN and Renca renal carcinoma cells were evaluated under ketone bodies (KB) exposure. In vivo studies were performed with mice (nude or Balb/c) receiving a xenograft of ACHN cells or Renca cells, respectively, and were then split into 2 feeding groups, fed either with standard diet or a 2:1 KD ad libitum. To test the effect of KD associated to immunotherapy, Balb/c mice were treated with anti-PDL1 mAb. Tumor growth was monitored.

Results

In vitro, KB exposure was associated with a significant reduction of ACHN and Renca cell proliferation and viability, while increasing mitochondrial metabolism. In mice, KD was associated with tumor growth reduction and PDL-1 gene expression up-regulation. In Balb/c mice adjuvant KD was associated to a better response to anti-PDL-1 mAb treatment.

Conclusion

KB reduced the renal tumor cell growth proliferation and improved mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis. KD also slowed down tumor growth of ACHN and Renca in vivo. We observed that PDL-1 was significantly overexpressed in tumor in mice under KD. Response to anti-PDL-1 mAb was improved in mice under KD. Further studies are needed to confirm the therapeutic benefit of adjuvant KD combined with immunotherapy in patients with kidney cancer.

Metastatic Kidney Cancer: Does the Location of the Metastases Matter? Moving towards Personalized Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

The management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been revolutionized over the past two decades with several practice-changing treatments. Treatment for RCC often requires a multimodal approach: Local treatment, such as surgery or ablation, is typically recommended for patients with localized tumors, while stage IV cancers often require both local and systemic therapy. The treatment of advanced RCC heavily relies on immunotherapy and targeted therapy, which are highly contingent upon histological subtypes. Despite years of research on biomarkers for RCC, the standard of care is to choose systemic therapy based on the risk profile according to the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre models. However, many questions still need to be answered. Should we consider metastatic sites when deciding on treatment options for metastatic RCC? How do we choose between dual immunotherapy and combinations of immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors? This review article aims to answer these unresolved questions surrounding the concept of personalized medicine.

Understanding and integrating cytoreductive nephrectomy with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the management of metastatic RCC

Cytoreductive nephrectomy became accepted as standard of care for selected patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) because of improved survival observed in patients treated with cytoreductive nephrectomy in combination with interferon-α in two randomized clinical trials published in 2001. Over the past two decades, novel systemic therapies have shown higher treatment response rates and improved survival outcomes compared with interferon-α. During this rapid evolution of mRCC treatments, systemic therapies have been the primary focus of clinical trials. Results from multiple retrospective studies continue to suggest an overall survival benefit for selected patients treated with nephrectomy in combination with systemic mRCC treatments, with the notable exception of one debated clinical trial. The optimal timing for surgery is unknown, and proper patient selection remains crucial to improving surgical outcomes. As systemic therapies continue to evolve, clinicians have an increasing need to understand how to incorporate cytoreductive nephrectomy into the management of mRCC.

Clinical potential of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC): a rapidly evolving strategy

Programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade therapy has become a game-changing therapeutic approach revolutionizing the treatment setting of human malignancies, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Despite the remarkable clinical activity of anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies, only a small portion of patients exhibit a positive response to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy, and the primary or acquired resistance might ultimately favor cancer development in patients with clinical responses. In light of this, recent reports have signified that the addition of other therapeutic modalities to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy might improve clinical responses in advanced RCC patients. Until, combination therapy with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy plus cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitor (ipilimumab) or various vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) inhibitors axitinib, such as axitinib and cabozantinib, has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as first-line treatment for metastatic RCC. In the present review, we have focused on the therapeutic benefits of the PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy as a single agent or in combination with other conventional or innovative targeted therapies in RCC patients. We also offer a glimpse into the well-determined prognostic factor associated with the clinical response of RCC patients to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy.

Feasibility of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy for complete remission of metastatic renal cell carcinoma after long exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors (UroCCR-106)

Immune checkpoint inhibitors used for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma treatment show significant rates of complete response on metastatic sites. Feasibility of delayed surgery on primitive tumors remains questionable, especially regarding conservative procedures. We present here the first reported case of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and concomitant metastasectomy after long exposure to immunotherapy. We performed an imperative salvage RAPN and metastasectomy in a 79-year-old woman with history of right radical nephrectomy for oligometastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, previous open partial nephrectomy and ablative treatment on the remaining left kidney. In fact, after complete response on the metastatic sites, the patient experienced progression on the solitary kidney despite immunotherapy. This limited experience of RAPN and metastasectomy after long exposure to immunotherapy appears to be feasible safe and efficient both on the oncological and functional point of view.

Activity of Immunotherapy Regimens on Primary Renal Tumours: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) are widely used in treating metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) forms part of multimodality treatment in advanced disease, however there is no prospective evidence for its use in the ICPI era. Trials of neoadjuvant ICPIs in RCC are underway; understanding the anticipated effect of ICPIs on the primary tumour may help clinical decision making in both localised and advanced settings. METHODS: A systematic search (PubMed, Web of Science, clinicaltrials.gov) of English literature from 2012 to 2022 was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. 2,398 records were identified, 54 were included in the analysis. RESULTS: In the metastatic setting, response in the primary tumour (≥30% reduction in size) is seen in 33–56% of patients treated with dual ICPI or ICPI + VEGFR-TKI. Pathological complete response rates were 14% for patients undergoing CN after a period of ICPI therapy. In the neoadjuvant setting there is a single published trial of VEGFR-TKI + ICPI, 30% of patients had a≥30% reduction in size of the primary. This appears superior to single agent ICPI. Grade 3 adverse event rates are comparable to the metastatic setting. CONCLUSIONS: A period of ICPI combination therapy followed by nephrectomy may be considered for selected patients as a strategy to manage metastatic disease. In the neoadjuvant setting, it is not clear whether ICPI + VEGFR-TKI is superior to VEGFR-TKI alone. There is minimal data on whether either CN after ICPI in metastatic patients, or neoadjuvant ICPI therapy for localised disease, improves long term survival.

Oncological Outcomes of Delayed Nephrectomy After Optimal Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

In the current era of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the role and optimal timing of a nephrectomy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) remain unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the oncological outcomes of patients who responded to ICI-based treatments and were subsequently treated with a delayed nephrectomy.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This national retrospective evaluation included 30 patients with mRCC who underwent a nephrectomy after a complete response (CR) or a major partial response (>80%) to ICI treatment at metastatic sites.

INTERVENTION

Partial or radical nephrectomy after a favorable response to ICI treatment.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and potential discontinuation of systemic treatment were assessed.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

ICI-based treatments included ipilimumab-nivolumab (40%), ICI + tyrosine kinase inhibitor (10%), and nivolumab (50%). A delayed nephrectomy was performed after a median ICI treatment duration of 10 mo. In 19 cases (63.3%), surgeons faced difficulties due to adhesions or inflammatory changes. A complete pathological response was observed in 16.7% of patients. After a median follow-up of 19.5 mo after nephrectomy, 76.7% of patients achieved DFS. At 1 yr, 66.7% of patients were free from systemic treatment. The PFS and OS rates were, respectively, 96.7% and 100% at 1 yr, and 78.3% and 86.1% at 2 yr. Patients with a CR at metastatic sites had a better prognosis than those with a major partial response, in terms of DFS (p = 0.022) and PFS (p = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite potentially challenging surgery, a delayed nephrectomy for patients who responded to ICI treatment provided promising oncological outcomes, and the majority of patients could discontinue systemic treatment.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this study, we evaluated the clinical outcome in patients who responded well to immunotherapy, and subsequently underwent kidney ablation surgery. Three-quarters of patients experienced no recurrence, and in most cases, medical treatment could be discontinued.

The prognostic value of the previous nephrectomy in pretreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma receiving immunotherapy: a sub-analysis of the Meet-URO 15 study

BACKGROUND

Nephrectomy is considered the backbone of managing patients with localized and selected metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The prognostic role of nephrectomy has been widely investigated with cytokines and targeted therapy, but it is still unclear in the immunotherapy era.

METHODS

We investigated the Meet-URO-15 study dataset of 571 pretreated mRCC patients receiving nivolumab as second or further lines about the prognostic role of the previous nephrectomy (received in either the localized or metastatic setting) in the overall population and according to the Meet-URO score groups.

RESULTS

Patients who underwent nephrectomy showed a significantly reduced risk of death (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.32-0.60, p < 0.001) with a longer median overall survival (OS) (35.9 months vs 12.1 months), 1-year OS of 71.6% vs 50.5% and 2-years OS of 56.5% vs 22.0% compared to those who did not. No significant interaction between nephrectomy and the overall five Meet-URO score risk groups was observed (p = 0.17). It was statistically significant when merging group 1 with 2 and 3 and group 4 with 5 (p = 0.038) and associated with a longer OS for the first three prognostic groups (p < 0.001), but not for groups 4 and 5 (p = 0.54).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests an overall positive impact of the previous nephrectomy on the outcome of pretreated mRCC patients receiving immunotherapy. The clinical relevance of cytoreductive nephrectomy, optimal timing and patient selection deserves further investigation, especially for patients with Meet-URO scores of 1 to 3, who are the once deriving benefit in our analyses. However, that benefit is not evident for IMDC poor-risk patients (including the Meet-URO score groups 4 and 5) and a subgroup of IMDC intermediate-risk patients defined as group 4 by the Meet-URO score.

The Complete Response of a Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastatic to Brain, Lungs, and Liver to Second-Line Nivolumab: A Case Report

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a therapeutic challenge to clinicians since it shows significant resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. With the introduction of immunotherapy, the treatment paradigm for RCC has evolved. Here, we describe the case of a 55-year-old male who presented with flank pain. An abdominal-pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a right renal mass. Following open right radical nephrectomy, first-line treatment with sunitinib was administered. After four months he developed multiple metastases to the liver, lungs, abdominal wall, and brain. He initiated second-line treatment with nivolumab and also received whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Six months following combined treatment with nivolumab and WBRT, a CT scan revealed complete radiologic response in the lungs, abdominal wall, brain, and liver except for the persistence of a subhepatic mass. Despite the discontinuation of nivolumab and starting bevacizumab due to financial problems, the patient was stable for 22 months, and after this, he was hospitalized with high bilirubin levels. An abdominal CT scan detected the development of the necrotic subhepatic mass compressing the common bile duct (CBD), with no other sign of metastatic disease. We believe that the explanation for this long-term disease control could be the combination of immune-checkpoint-inhibitor (ICI) with WBRT resulting in significant cranial and extracranial immune response, known as "the abscopal effect". This report highlights the importance of local therapy combined with ICI-based therapy in metastatic RCC.

Phase II Study of Neoadjuvant Nivolumab in Patients with Locally Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Nephrectomy

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy improves survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) but has not been studied well preoperatively in patients with localized disease undergoing nephrectomy. We conducted a single-center study to evaluate the safety and feasibility of neoadjuvant nivolumab in patients undergoing nephrectomy for localized RCC. Eligible patients had a >20% risk of recurrence, as estimated by a preoperative nomogram. Patients received nivolumab every 2 wk for four treatments prior to surgery. The primary endpoints were feasibility, defined as completing at least three treatments without significant surgical delay, and safety, defined as the rate of surgical complications. Treatment effects were assessed by radiomics and immunohistochemistry. A total of 18 patients (11 men; median age 60 yr) with clear cell RCC were enrolled. All received at least one dose of nivolumab and proceeded to nephrectomy without delay; 16/18 patients completed all four doses. Two patients discontinued nivolumab for immune-related adverse events, and four had surgical complications as per the Clavien-Dindo classification. Integrated pathology plus radiomic analysis demonstrated an association between post-treatment immune infiltration and low entropy apparent diffusion coefficient on magnetic resonance imaging. Nivolumab prior to nephrectomy was safe and feasible, without significant surgical delays and with an expected rate of immune-related adverse events. PATIENT SUMMARY: We evaluated the outcomes for patients with localized kidney cancer who received immunotherapy prior to surgery to remove their kidney tumor. In a small group of patients who had cancer confined to the kidney, this approach appeared safe and feasible.

First-line Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab Versus Sunitinib in Patients Without Nephrectomy and With an Evaluable Primary Renal Tumor in the CheckMate 214 Trial

We present an exploratory post hoc analysis from the phase 3 CheckMate 214 trial of first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab (NIVO+IPI) versus sunitinib in a subgroup of 108 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) without prior nephrectomy and with an evaluable primary tumor, a population under-represented in clinical trials. Patients with clear cell aRCC were randomized to NIVO+IPI every 3 wk for four doses followed by NIVO monotherapy, or sunitinib every day for 4 wk (6-wk cycle). Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and primary tumor shrinkage were assessed. PFS and ORR were assessed per independent radiology review committee using RECIST version 1.1. With minimum study follow-up of 4 yr for intent-to-treat patients, OS favored NIVO+IPI (n = 53) over sunitinib (n = 55; hazard ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.40-1.0) among patients without prior nephrectomy. ORR was higher (34% vs 15%; p = 0.0041) and median duration of response was longer with NIVO+IPI versus sunitinib (20.5 vs 14.1 mo); the best overall response was partial response in either arm. A ≥30% reduction in the diameter of intact target renal tumors was achieved in 35% of patients with NIVO+IPI versus 20% with sunitinib. Safety was consistent with the global study population. In conclusion, in patients with aRCC without prior nephrectomy and with an evaluable primary tumor, NIVO+IPI showed survival benefits and renal tumor reduction versus sunitinib. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT02231749. PATIENT SUMMARY: In an exploratory analysis of a large global trial (CheckMate 214), we observed positive outcomes (both survival and tumor response to treatment) with nivolumab plus ipilimumab over sunitinib in a subgroup of patients with advanced kidney cancer who did not undergo removal of their primary kidney tumor. This subset of patients represents a population that has not been studied in clinical trials and for whom outcomes with new immunotherapy combination regimens are not yet known. We conclude that treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab offers these patients a survival benefit versus sunitinib, consistent with that observed in the overall study, as well as a notable kidney tumor reduction.

Primary Renal Tumour Response in Patients Treated with Nivolumab and Ipilimumab for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Real-world Data Assessment

Following CARMENA and SURTIME, patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) intermediate and poor risk receive systemic therapy with the primary tumour (primary) in place, with the option of deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in responding patients. We retrospectively analysed the safety and efficacy of first-line nivolumab/ipilimumab in 71 primary mRCC patients (42.3% IMDC poor risk; 43.6% with more than three metastatic sites). The baseline mean primary diameter was 9.3 cm and median follow-up was 11.5 mo. Of 69 patients with at least one follow-up computed tomography scan, 23 (33.3 %) had a partial response (PR) of the primary after a median of 4.8 mo, which was associated with a 91.3% overall response rate at metastatic sites (MSs) and absence of progressive disease, irrespective of the IMDC risk. The complete response (CR) rate at MSs (n = 7 [10.1%]) is similar to the CR rate in CheckMate 214. Thirteen deferred CNs were performed (18.8%) after a median of 13 mo, rendering four patients disease free. Only 4.3% of primaries progressed; grade 3–4 immune-related adverse events occurred in 31.9%. Irrespective of the IMDC risk, patients with a PR in the primary had a 1-yr overall survival rate of 89% versus 67% in those without (p = 0.012).

Patient summary

Patients with metastatic kidney cancer receiving immunotherapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab had superior response at metastatic sites and better survival irrespective of International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk.