Cabozantinib in Combination With Atezolizumab for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results From the COSMIC-021 Study

Final Overall Survival Analysis of S1500: A Randomized, Phase II Study Comparing Sunitinib With Cabozantinib, Crizotinib, and Savolitinib in Advanced Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma

Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co-primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical Trial Updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported.Mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) signaling pathway plays a role in the pathogenesis of selected patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). In the phase II PAPMET trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02761057), cabozantinib significantly prolonged progression-free survival and improved objective response rate compared with sunitinib in patients with advanced PRCC. Here, we present the final overall survival (OS) analysis. In this multicenter, randomized phase II, open-label trial, 147 patients with advanced PRCC who have received up to one previous therapy (excluding vascular endothelial growth factor-directed agents) were assigned to sunitinib, cabozantinib, crizotinib, or savolitinib. Ultimately, savolitinib and crizotinib arms were closed because of futility. With a median follow-up of 17.5 months, the median OS was 21.5 months (95% CI, 12.0 to 28.1) with cabozantinib and 17.3 months (95% CI, 12.8 to 21.8) with sunitinib (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.51 to 1.36; P = .46). The OS landmark estimates for cabozantinib and sunitinib were 50% versus 39% at 24 months and 32% versus 28% at 36 months. In conclusion, we observed no significant difference in OS across treatment arms. Although cabozantinib represents a well-supported option for advanced PRCC, the lack of survival benefit underscores the need to develop novel therapies for this disease.

Factors Determining Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer Progression

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which an epithelial cell undergoes multiple modifications, acquiring both morphological and functional characteristics of a mesenchymal cell. This dynamic process is initiated by various inducing signals that activate numerous signaling pathways, leading to the stimulation of transcription factors. EMT plays a significant role in cancer progression, such as metastasis and tumor heterogeneity, as well as in drug resistance. In this article, we studied molecular mechanisms, epigenetic regulation, and cellular plasticity of EMT, as well as microenvironmental factors influencing this process. We included both in vivo and in vitro models in EMT investigation and clinical implications of EMT, such as the use of EMT in curing oncological patients and targeting its use in therapies. Additionally, this review concludes with future directions and challenges in the wide field of EMT.

First-Line Immune Combination Therapies for Nonclear Cell Versus Clear Cell Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Real-World Multicenter Data From Germany

INTRODUCTION

The aim was to compare treatment outcomes of clear cell metastatic renal cell carcinoma (ccmRCC) versus non-ccmRCC (nccmRCC) patients who received first-line immune combination therapies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Within our retrospective multi-institutional consecutive database of eight tertiary-care centers, we identified mRCC patients treated with first-line immune combination therapies between 11/2017 and 12/2022. Using log-rank analysis and multivariable Cox regression, we tested for differences in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of nccmRCC versus ccmRCC patients. Covariables consisted of age at diagnosis, sex, International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium risk groups, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, and sarcomatoid feature.

RESULTS

Of 289 study patients, 39 (13%) patients harbored nccmRCC. Median OS was 37 months versus not reached for ccmRCC versus nccmRCC patients (P = .6). Median PFS was 13 versus 15 months (P = .9). Multivariable Cox regression models did not identify nccmRCC as an independent predictor of higher overall mortality in mRCC patients (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.23; P = .6) or a higher progression rate (HR: 1.0; P = 1.0).

CONCLUSION

In our real-world multi-institutional study, no differences in OS and PFS between ccmRCC and nccmRCC patients receiving first-line immune combination treatment were observed, even after adjustment for important patient and tumor characteristics. More prospective trials in nccmRCC patients are needed.

Immunotherapy for renal cell carcinoma: New therapeutic combinations and adverse event management strategies: A review

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combinations, as well as ICIs combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have considerable potential for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treatment. Newer targeted medications, gut microbiome, nanomedicines, and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors demonstrate significant potential in preventing side effects and resistance associated with RCC treatment. Most patients, including those demonstrating long-term treatment effects, eventually demonstrate cancer progression. Nevertheless, recent studies have further revealed RCC pathogenesis and many acquired drug resistance mechanisms, which together have led to the identification of promising therapeutic targets. In addition to having roles in metabolism, immunogenicity, and the immune response to tumors, CDK4 and CDK6 regulate the cell cycle. Targeting CDK4 and CDK6, either separately or in combination with already approved treatments, may improve therapeutic outcomes in patients with kidney cancer. Other novel drugs, including pegylated interleukin 10, colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitors, CD40 agonists, and C-X-C receptor 4 inhibitors affect the tumor microenvironment and cancer cell metabolism. Moreover, a triple ICI combination has been noted to be efficacious. In general, compared with sunitinib as a single-drug treatment, newer ICI combinations improve overall survival in patients with RCC. Future research on the prevention of adverse events and medication resistance related to newer therapies may aid in ensuring effective treatment outcomes among patients with RCC. This article aims to summarize innovative immunotherapy drug combinations for RCC treatment and the mechanisms of action, drug resistance, and treatment of adverse events associated with these combinations.

Management of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Following First-Line Immune Checkpoint Therapy Failure: A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

There is a significant gap in the literature concerning the effective management of second-line therapy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Most of the published articles were small multicenter series or phase 2 studies. To our knowledge, a systematic review that comprehensively outlines the range of treatment options available for patients with metastatic RCC who do not respond to first-line ICIs has not yet been conducted. Our aim was to synthesize evidence on second-line therapies for patients with metastatic RCC after initial treatment with ICIs and to offer recommendations on the best treatment regimens based on the current literature.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a search in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library on 29 February 2024, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We selected articles that met the predetermined inclusion criteria (written in English, retrospective observational studies, prospective series, and randomized trials reporting second-line therapy for metastatic RCC after failure of ICI-based therapy). Relevant articles were identified in the reference lists. The main endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR), with the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) as secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

We included 27 studies reporting the outcomes of 1970 patients. Salvage therapies were classified as targeted therapy (VEGFR TKIs) in 18 studies and ICIs in 8 studies. In studies where TKIs were the second line of choice, the pooled ORR was 34% (95% CI: 30.2-38%). In studies where ICIs, alone or in combination with TKIs, were used as second-line therapies, the ORR was 25.7% (95% CI: 15.7-39.2%). In studies where TKIs and ICIs were the second-line choices, the pooled median PFS values were 11.4 months (95% CI: 9.5-13.6 months) and 9.8 months (95% CI: 7.5-12.7 months), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review shows that VEGFR TKIs and ICIs are effective second-line therapies following an initial treatment with anti-PD(L)1 alone or in combination. The treatment choice should be personalized, taking into account the patient's response to first-line ICIs, the site of the disease, the type of first-line combination (with or without VEGFR TKIs), and the patient's overall condition.

PD1/PD-L1 blockade in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: mechanistic insights, clinical efficacy, and future perspectives

The advent of PD1/PD-L1 inhibitors has significantly transformed the therapeutic landscape for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). This review provides an in-depth analysis of the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of PD1 and PD-L1 in ccRCC, emphasizing their role in tumor immune evasion. We comprehensively evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety profiles of PD1/PD-L1 inhibitors, such as Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab, through a critical examination of recent clinical trial data. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges posed by resistance mechanisms to these therapies and potential strategies to overcome them. We also explores the synergistic potential of combination therapies, integrating PD1/PD-L1 inhibitors with other immunotherapies, targeted therapies, and conventional modalities such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, we examine emerging predictive biomarkers for response to PD1/PD-L1 blockade and biomarkers indicative of resistance, providing a foundation for personalized therapeutic approaches. Finally, we outline future research directions, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies, deeper mechanistic insights, and the development of individualized treatment regimens. Our work summarizes the latest knowledge and progress in this field, aiming to provide a valuable reference for improving clinical efficacy and guiding future research on the application of PD1/PD-L1 inhibitors in ccRCC.

Pathological concordance rate and outcomes by subtype in advanced papillary renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical significance of subtyping (type 1 vs 2) of papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) in patients treated with targeted therapy, as well as the concordance, sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of local review pathology review.

METHODS

Patients with advanced refractory PRCC were randomised to receive sunitinib or cabozantinib, crizotinib or savolitinib, stratified by PRCC subtype (type 1, type 2, or not otherwise specified [NOS]/mixed) by local review. Central review was retrospectively conducted by three expert genitourinary pathologists who independently reviewed cases. The sensitivity and PPV of local review were estimated and outcomes [objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS)] were summarised for treatment groups stratified by subtypes by central review.

RESULTS

Amongst the 147 patients reviewed, the prevalence of individual subtypes varied by local or central review (type 1: 17.7% vs 29.3%; type 2: 53.1% vs 45.6%; NOS/mixed: 29.3% vs 25.2%), respectively. Individual cases were frequently reclassified and local pathology review demonstrated low sensitivity (type 1: 48%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 33, 65; type 2: 67%, 95% CI 55, 78; NOS/mixed: 43%, 95% CI 27, 61). The PPVs of local review were 80%, 57.7% and 37% for type 1, 2 and NOS/mixed, respectively. Compared to sunitinib, cabozantinib demonstrated improved PFS for both type 1 and type 2 PRCC subgroups (7.4 vs 9.0 and 2.9 vs 5.6 months, respectfully) as well as higher ORR.

CONCLUSIONS

The PRCC subtype assignment did not identify a subset of patients with greater clinical benefit from cabozantinib, with significant discordance between local and central review. Our findings confirm the limited clinical value of pathological subtyping of metastatic PRCC, in line with the recent World Health Organisation 2022 guidelines.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this study, categorising papillary renal cell carcinoma into type 1 or 2 subtypes showed limited concordance between central and local pathological review and did not enrich for patients more likely to benefit from cabozantinib in the S1500 PAPMET trial.

PD-L1 expression and its prognostic value in metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma: Results from a GETUG multicenter retrospective cohort

INTRODUCTION

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is a rare and aggressive cancer with no specifically established therapeutic strategy in the metastatic setting. Combinations of tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are a promising option. We aimed to study the immune landscape of metastatic pRCC, and its interactions with angiogenesis pathways, to search for potential therapeutic targets.

METHODS

The expression of immune markers (PD-L1, PD-1, PD-L2, LAG-3) and angiogenic pathways (CAIX, c-MET), was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on 68 metastatic pRCC retrieved from a retrospective multicenter GETUG cohort. Our primary endpoint was to estimate the prevalence of PD-L1 expression and its prognostic impact in metastatic pRCC. Secondary endpoints included the evaluation of other immune markers (PD-1, PD-L2, and LAG-3) and their association with PD-L1. We also assessed angiogenic markers and their association with PD-L1.

RESULTS

Overall, 27.9 % of tumors were PD-L1 positive. PD-L2 was more frequently expressed (45.6 %), PD-1 and LAG-3 were positive in 17.6 % and 19.1 % respectively. None of these markers was correlated with PD-L1 expression. 66 % (45/68) expressed at least one immune marker, and 43 % (29/68) were "double-positive", as they expressed both immune and angiogenic markers. OS was significantly shorter for patients with PD-L1 positive pRCC. A multivariate analysis confirmed a significant association between PD-L1 expression and shorter overall survival (HR = 4.0, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

These results reinforce clinical data on the expected benefit of ICI in metastatic pRCC treatment, as PD-L1 expression is a factor of poor prognosis in this multicenter cohort.

Use of Radiation Therapy for Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM)-Mutation Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is a rare kidney cancer with limited treatment options and poor outcomes when metastatic. We present a case of a 42-year-old male with metastatic pRCC harboring a somatic ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) mutation who was treated at our institution. After progression of disease (POD) on ipilimumab/nivolumab, followed by POD on cabozantinib, the patient was treated with radiation therapy to metastatic cervical lymphadenopathy to 60 Gy in 15 fractions as well as retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy to 36 Gy in 9 fractions, which was curtailed due to intolerance. This was followed by sequential systemic therapy with a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor and pembrolizumab, which was also discontinued due to adverse effects. Despite not receiving any treatment for 10 months, his disease remains stable. We believe that the prolonged progression-free survival of this patient with ATM-mutation metastatic pRCC is likely due to the enhanced sensitivity of the tumor to radiation therapy due to ATM loss.

Efficacy of ramucirumab combination chemotherapy as second-line treatment in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction after exposure to checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy as first-line therapy

FOLFOX plus nivolumab represents a standard of care for first-line therapy of advanced gastroesophageal cancer (aGEC) with positive PD-L1 expression. The efficacy of second-line VEGFR-2 inhibition with ramucirumab (RAM) plus chemotherapy after progression to immunochemotherapy remains unclear. Medical records of patients with aGEC enrolled in the randomized phase II AIO-STO-0417 trial after treatment failure to first-line FOLFOX plus nivolumab and ipilimumab were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups based on second-line therapy: RAM plus chemotherapy (RAM group) or treatment without RAM (control group). Eighty three patients were included. In the overall population, progression-free survival (PFS) in the RAM group was superior to the control (4.5 vs 2.9 months). Responders (CR/PR) to first-line immunochemotherapy receiving RAM containing second-line therapy had prolonged OS from start of first-line therapy (28.9 vs 16.5 months), as well as second-line OS (9.6 vs 7.5 months), PFS (5.6 vs 2.9 months) and DCR (53% vs 29%) compared to the control. PD-L1 CPS ≥1 was 42% and 44% for the RAM and the control, respectively. Patients with CPS ≥1 in the RAM group showed better tumor control (ORR 25% vs 10%) and improved survival (total OS 11.5 vs 8.0 months; second-line OS 6.5 vs 3.9 months; PFS 4.5 vs 1.6 months) compared to the control. Prior exposure to first-line FOLFOX plus dual checkpoint inhibition followed by RAM plus chemotherapy shows favorable response and survival rates especially in patients with initial response and positive PD-L1 expression and has the potential to advance the treatment paradigm in aGEC.

Development of prognostic signatures and risk index related to lipid metabolism in ccRCC

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormal lipid accumulation in the cytoplasm. Lipid metabolism-related genes may have important clinical significance for prognosis prediction and individualized treatment.

Methods

We collected bulk and single-cell transcriptomic data of ccRCC and normal samples to identify key lipid metabolism-related prognostic signatures. qPCR was used to confirm the expression of signatures in cancer cell lines. Based on the identified signatures, we developed a lipid metabolism risk score (LMRS) as a risk index. We explored the potential application value of prognostic signatures and LMRS in precise treatment from multiple perspectives.

Results

Through comprehensive analysis, we identified five lipid metabolism-related prognostic signatures (ACADM, ACAT1, ECHS1, HPGD, DGKZ). We developed a risk index LMRS, which was significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients. There was a significant correlation between LMRS and the infiltration levels of multiple immune cells. Patients with high LMRS may be more likely to respond to immunotherapy. The different LMRS groups were suitable for different anticancer drug treatment regimens.

Conclusion

Prognostic signatures and LMRS we developed may be applied to the risk assessment of ccRCC patients, which may have potential guiding significance in the diagnosis and precise treatment of ccRCC patients.

Renal Cell Carcinoma of Variant Histology: New Biologic Understanding Leads to Therapeutic Advances

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the 10 most commonly diagnosed solid tumors. Most RCCs are histologically defined as clear cell, comprising approximately 75% of diagnoses. However, the remaining RCC cases are composed of a heterogeneous combination of diverse histopathologic subtypes, each with unique pathogeneses and clinical features. Although the therapeutic approach to both localized and metastatic RCCs has dramatically changed, first with the advent of antiangiogenic targeted therapies and more recently with the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based combinations, these advances have primarily benefited the clear cell RCC patient population. As such, there remains critical gaps in the optimization of treatment regimens for patients with non-clear cell, or variant, RCC histologies. Herein, we detail recent advances in understanding the biology of RCC with variant histology and how such findings have guided novel clinical studies investigating precision oncology approaches for these rare subtypes. Among the most common variant histology RCCs are papillary RCC, comprising approximately 15%-20% of all diagnoses. Although a histopathologically diverse subset of tumors, papillary RCC is canonically associated with amplification of the MET protooncogene; recently completed and ongoing trials have investigated MET-directed therapies for this patient population. Finally, we discuss the unique biology of RCC with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation and the recent clinical findings detailing its paradoxical sensitivity to ICIs.

Capmatinib plus nivolumab in pretreated patients with EGFR wild-type advanced non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

Dysregulated MET is an established oncogenic driver in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MET signaling may also suppress anticancer immune responses. Concomitant MET inhibition with capmatinib (a MET inhibitor) synergistically enhanced the efficacy of immunotherapies in murine cancer models, regardless of tumor dependency to MET signaling. Here, we report results of a multicenter, open-label, phase 2 study of capmatinib plus nivolumab (a PD-1 inhibitor) in patients with EGFR wild-type advanced NSCLC, previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

METHODS

Patients were allocated into high-MET or low-MET groups according to MET expression determined by immunohistochemistry, MET gene copy number as assessed by fluorescence in-situ hybridization, and presence of MET exon 14 skipping mutation, then received capmatinib 400 mg, oral, twice daily in combination with nivolumab 3 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate per RECIST v1.1.

RESULTS

The primary endpoint was met in both the high-MET (N = 16) and low-MET (N = 30) groups. In the high-MET and low-MET groups, respectively, the estimated mean 6-month PFS rate (95 % credible interval) by Bayesian analysis was 68.9 % (48.5-85.7) and 50.9 % (35.6-66.4). The Kaplan-Meier median PFS (95 % CI) was 6.2 months (3.5-19.2) and 4.2 months (1.8-7.4). The overall response rate (95 % CI) was 25.0 % (7.3-52.4) and 16.7 % (5.6-34.7). Most frequent treatment-related adverse events (≥30 % any grade, N = 46) were nausea (52.2 %), peripheral edema (34.8 %), and increased blood creatinine (30.4 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Capmatinib plus nivolumab showed clinical activity and manageable safety in pretreated patients with advanced EGFR wild-type NSCLC, independent of MET status.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02323126.

Cabozantinib in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors for renal cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Context

Cabozantinib combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has brought a new therapeutic effect for the medical treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Objectives

We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and single-arm trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cabozantinib plus ICIs in RCC.

Methods

We extracted data from PubMed, Cochrane, Medline and Embase databases, and rated literature quality through Cochrane risk of bias tool and MINORS. RevMan5.3 software was used to analyze the results of randomized controlled trials and single-arm trials.

Results

A total of 7 studies were included. Treatment with cabozantinib plus ICIs improved PFS [HR 0.75, (95%CI: 0.52, 1.08), p = 0.12] and the OS [HR 0.80, (95%CI: 0.60, 1.07), p = 0.13] in randomized controlled trials. Meanwhile, the result of the ORR in randomized controlled trials was [risk ratio (RR) 1.37, (95%CI: 1.21, 1.54), p < 0.00001] and in single-arm trials was [risk difference (RD) 0.49, (95%CI: 0.26, 0.71), p < 0.0001].

Conclusion

Cabozantinib plus ICIs prolonged the PFS and OS, and improved ORR in patients with RCC. Our recommendation is to use cabozantinib plus ICIs to treat advanced RCC, and to continuous monitor and manage the drug-related adverse events.

Systematic Review Registration

identifier CRD42023455878.

Rationale for immune checkpoint inhibitors plus targeted therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a frequent urological malignancy characterized by a high rate of metastasis and lethality. The treatment strategy for advanced RCC has moved through multiple iterations over the past three decades. Initially, cytokine treatment was the only systemic treatment option for patients with RCC. With the development of medicine, antiangiogenic agents targeting vascular endothelial growth factor and mammalian target of rapamycin and immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged and received several achievements in the therapeutics of advanced RCC. However, ICIs have still not brought completely satisfactory results due to drug resistance and undesirable side effects. For the past years, the interests form researchers have been attracted by the combination of ICIs and targeted therapy for advanced RCC and the angiogenesis and immunogenic tumor microenvironmental variations in RCC. Therefore, we emphasize the potential principle and the clinical progress of ICIs combined with targeted treatment of advanced RCC, and summarize the future direction.

Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma: Outcomes for Patients Receiving First-line Immune-based Combinations or Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors from the ARON-1 Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is the most frequent histological subtype of non-clear cell RCC (nccRCC). Owing to the heterogeneity of nccRCC, patients are often excluded from large phase 3 trials focused on clear cell RCC, so treatment options for nccRCC remain limited. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy of first-line treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or immuno-oncology (IO)-based combinations in patients with pRCC.

METHODS

We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of real-world data collected for patients with advanced pRCC treated in 40 centers in 12 countries as part of the ARON-1 project (NCT05287464). The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), the overall response rate (ORR), and time to second progression (PFS2). OS, PFS, and PFS2 were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and results were compared between the treatment groups using a log-rank test. Univariate and multivariable analyses were carried out using Cox proportional-hazard models.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS

We included 200 patients with metastatic pRCC, of whom 73 were treated with IO-based combinations and 127 with TKIs. Median OS was 22.5 mo in the TKI group 28.8 mo in the IO group (p = 0.081). Median PFS was 6.4 mo in the TKI group and 17.4 mo in the IO group (p < 0.001). The ORR was higher in the IO group than in the TKI group (41% vs 27%; p = 0.037).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Our results show that IO-based combinations have superior efficacy outcomes to TKIs for first-line treatment of metastatic pRCC.

PATIENT SUMMARY

The ARON-1 project collects clinical data for patients with kidney cancer treated in multiple centers worldwide to assess outcomes in the real-world setting. We analyzed data for patients with metastatic kidney cancer of a specific subtype to evaluate the efficacy of different first-line treatments. Patients treated with immune-based combinations had better outcomes than patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (COSMIC-312): final results of a randomised phase 3 study

BACKGROUND

The aim of the COSMIC-312 trial was to evaluate cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus sorafenib in patients with previously untreated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. In the initial analysis, cabozantinib plus atezolizumab significantly prolonged progression-free survival versus sorafenib. Here, we report the pre-planned final overall survival analysis and updated safety and efficacy results following longer follow-up.

METHODS

COSMIC-312 was an open-label, randomised, phase 3 study done across 178 centres in 32 countries. Patients aged 18 years or older with previously untreated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma were eligible. Patients must have had measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1), and adequate marrow and organ function, including Child-Pugh class A liver function; those with fibrolamellar carcinoma, sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma, or combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma were ineligible. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1:1) using a web-based interactive response system to a combination of oral cabozantinib 40 mg once daily plus intravenous atezolizumab 1200 mg every 3 weeks, oral sorafenib 400 mg twice daily, or oral single-agent cabozantinib 60 mg once daily. Randomisation was stratified by disease aetiology, geographical region, and presence of extrahepatic disease or macrovascular invasion. Dual primary endpoints were for cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus sorafenib: progression-free survival per RECIST 1.1, as assessed by a blinded independent radiology committee, in the first 372 randomly assigned patients (previously reported) and overall survival in all patients randomly assigned to cabozantinib plus atezolizumab or sorafenib. The secondary endpoint was progression-free survival in all patients randomly assigned to cabozantinib versus sorafenib. Outcomes in all randomly assigned patients, including final overall survival, are presented. Safety was assessed in all randomly assigned patients who received at least one dose of study drug. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03755791.

FINDINGS

Between Dec 7, 2018, and Aug 27, 2020, 432 patients were randomly assigned to combination treatment, 217 to sorafenib, and 188 to single-agent cabozantinib, and included in all efficacy analyses. 704 (84%) patients were male and 133 (16%) were female. 824 of these patients received at least one dose of study treatment and were included in the safety population. Median follow-up was 22·1 months (IQR 19·3-24·8). Median overall survival was 16·5 months (96% CI 14·5-18·7) for the combination treatment group and 15·5 months (12·2-20·0) for the sorafenib group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·98 [0·78-1·24]; stratified log-rank p=0·87). Median progression-free survival was 6·9 months (99% CI 5·7-8·2) for the combination treatment group, 4·3 months (2·9-6·1) for the sorafenib group, and 5·8 months (99% CI 5·4-8·2) for the single-agent cabozantinib group (HR 0·74 [0·56-0·97] for combination treatment vs sorafenib; HR 0·78 [99% CI 0·56-1·09], p=0·05, for single-agent cabozantinib vs sorafenib). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 281 (66%) of 429 patients in the combination treatment group, 100 (48%) of 207 patients in the sorafenib group, and 108 (57%) of 188 patients in the single-agent cabozantinib group; the most common were hypertension (37 [9%] vs 17 [8%] vs 23 [12%]), palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia (36 [8%] vs 18 [9%] vs 16 [9%]), aspartate aminotransferase increased (42 [10%] vs eight [4%] vs 17 [9%]), and alanine aminotransferase increased (40 [9%] vs six [3%] vs 13 [7%]). Serious adverse events occurred in 223 (52%) patients in the combination treatment group, 84 (41%) patients in the sorafenib group, and 87 (46%) patients in the single agent cabozantinib group. Treatment-related deaths occurred in six (1%) patients in the combination treatment group (encephalopathy, hepatic failure, drug-induced liver injury, oesophageal varices haemorrhage, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and tumour lysis syndrome), one (<1%) in the sorafenib group (general physical health deterioration), and four (2%) in the single-agent cabozantinib group (asthenia, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, sepsis, and gastric perforation).

INTERPRETATION

First-line cabozantinib plus atezolizumab did not improve overall survival versus sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The progression-free survival benefit of the combination versus sorafenib was maintained, with no new safety signals.

FUNDING

Exelixis and Ipsen.

Safety and Efficacy of Second-Line TKI Plus Anti-PD1 in Metastatic Non-Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Real-World Study

OBJECTIVES

Guidelines recommend clinical trials or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) as the first-line option for systemic therapy for non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) with limited efficacy. However, the preferred subsequent options remain unclear when patients progress after first-line treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-PD-1 plus TKI therapy as the second-line regimen in nccRCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with metastatic nccRCC who failed first-line TKI therapy between October 2011 and September 2020. The baseline characteristics of the patients and adverse events (AEs) were collected. Efficacy measures included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

The current study enrolled 65 patients, with a median age of 48 (interquartile 37-60) years. Among all patients, 21 received TKI monotherapy while 44 patients received combination therapy (TKI plus anti-PD1). The ORR and DCR for the whole cohort were 38.5% and 56.9%, respectively. ORR (50.0% vs. 14.3%, P = .006) and DCR (70.5% vs. 28.6%, P = .001) were improved in the combination group compared with the TKI group. The overall second-line PFS was 7.7 (95% CI: 6.1-9.3) months and OS was 25.2 (19.5-30.8) months. Patients receiving combination therapy had a longer PFS compared with those receiving TKI monotherapy [median PFS (95% CI): 9.2 (5.9-12.4) vs. 5.4 (2.6-8.2) m, Log-rank P = .002]. The incidence of treatment-related AEs of grade 3 or higher was comparable between the 2 groups (56.8% vs. 52.4%).

CONCLUSION

Anti-PD-1 plus TKI therapy appeared effective and safe in the treatment of patients with metastatic nccRCC who progressed after first-line TKIs.

Advances in non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma management: From heterogeneous biology to treatment options

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) makes up nearly one quarter of all RCC subtypes, commonly impacts younger patients, and is often metastatic at presentation. Compared to clear-cell RCC (ccRCC), nccRCC typically has a worse prognosis in the metastatic setting, with overall survival durations that are ~10 months shorter. The nccRCC consists of a wide range of different histological subtypes, the majority of which are composed of papillary, chromophobe, renal medullary carcinoma, translocation RCC, collecting duct carcinoma and unclassified RCC. Most clinical trials have either excluded or only included small numbers of patients with nccRCC; owing to the lack of prospective studies focusing on this population, data on response rates and survival outcomes are lacking. NccRCC treatment is a nascent field with various therapeutic modalities and combinations under investigation, often based on data extrapolated from therapeutic studies in ccRCC. We herein review the use and outcomes of cytotoxic chemotherapy, various combination modalities of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors, and targeted agents. We discuss active ongoing clinical trials for patients with nccRCC and future directions in the treatment of this rare disease. Historically, treatment for nccRCC has been adopted from the standard of care for patients with ccRCC, although these treatments are less effective in the nccRCC population. As we begin to understand the underlying biology of these tumors, clinical trials have been able to slowly accrue and include more patients with various subtypes of nccRCC. There remains much room for improvement in this area of need, but there is hope on the horizon.

Emerging Futuristic Targeted Therapeutics: A Comprising Study Towards a New Era for the Management of TNBC

Triple-negative breast cancer is characterized by high lethality attributed to factors such as chemoresistance, transcriptomic, and genomic heterogeneity, leading to a poor prognosis and limiting available targeted treatment options. While the identification of molecular targets remains pivotal for therapy involving chemo drugs, the current challenge lies in the poor response rates, low survival rates, and frequent relapses. Despite various clinical investigations exploring molecular targeted therapies in conjunction with conventional chemo treatment, the outcomes have been less than optimal. The critical need for more effective therapies underscores the urgency to discover potent novel treatments, including molecular and immune targets, as well as emerging strategies. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of conventional treatment approaches and explores emerging molecular and immune-targeted therapeutics, elucidating their mechanisms to address the existing obstacles for a more effective management of triple-negative breast cancer.

Network meta-analysis of second line and beyond treatment options in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Deciding on the optimal second-line (2L) treatment for metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains challenging due to the limited information comparing each of the available options and the influence of the newly expanding first-line (1L) agents.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We identified phase II/III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating 2L treatments in metastatic ccRCC. This Network Meta-analysis (NMA) evaluates the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and severe adverse events (SAE). We used normal likelihood model to incorporate log hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (OR), and 95%-confidence-intervals (CI). Treatment p-scores were used for ranking. Data was analyzed in a fixed-effects model using the netmeta package in R v.1.5-0.

RESULTS

All therapies demonstrated some benefits over placebo. Lenvatinib + everolimus ranked first for OS (HR = 0.44; 95%CI = 0.24-0.82; p-score = 0.92), PFS (HR = 0.13; 95%CI = 0.07-0.24, p-score = 0.98), and ORR (OR = 35.95; 95%CI = 11.55-111.87; p-score = 0.93) compared to placebo, though with a higher SAE (OR = 5.27; p-score = 0.23). Cabozantinib ranked second for OS (HR = 0.57, p-score = 0.80), PFS (HR = 0.19; p-score = 0.86), and ORR (OR = 27.24, p-score = 0.84). Nivolumab was third for ORR (p-score = 0.79), fourth for OS (p-score = 0.69), fifth for PFS (p-score = 0.61), and last for SAE (p-score = 0.83). Lenvatinib monotherapy ranked worst SAE (OR = 5.89, p-score = 0.17) and third for OS and PFS. The latest drug, tivozanib, was sixth for PFS, OS, and ORR. The NMA matrix revealed no differential OS benefit between cabozantinib, lenvatinib + everolimus, and nivolumab. Other regimens had no significant OS benefit when compared to placebo.

CONCLUSION

Based on OS and PFS, the lenvtatinib + everolimus combination yielded superior, followed by cabozantinib and Lenvatinib monotherapies; all were limited by a worse SAE profile. Nivolumab and pazopanib had the lowest odds of SAEs.

Incidence of Cutaneous Immune-Related Adverse Events and Outcomes in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Containing Regimens: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are used to treat many cancers, and cutaneous immune-related adverse events (cirAEs) are among the most frequently encountered toxic effects. Understanding the incidence and prognostic associations of cirAEs is of importance as their uses in different settings, combinations, and tumor types expand. To evaluate the incidence of cirAEs and their association with outcome measures across a variety of ICI regimens and cancers, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published trials of anti-programmed death-1/ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) ICIs, both alone and in combination with chemotherapy, antiangiogenic agents, or other ICIs in patients with melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and urothelial carcinoma. Key findings of our study include variable cirAE incidence among tumors and ICI regimens, positive association with increased cirAE incidence and response rate, as well as significant association between increased vitiligo incidence and overall survival. Across 174 studies, rash, pruritis, and vitiligo were the most reported cirAEs, with incidences of 16.7%, 18.0%, and 6.6%, respectively. Higher incidence of cirAEs was associated with ICI combination regimens and with CTLA-4-containing regimens, particularly with higher doses of ipilimumab, as compared to PD-1/L1 monotherapies. Outcome measures including response rate and progression-free survival were positively correlated with incidence of cirAEs. The response rate and incidence of pruritis, vitiligo, and rash were associated with expected rises in incidence of 0.17% (p = 0.0238), 0.40% (p = 0.0010), and 0.18% (p = 0.0413), respectively. Overall survival was positively correlated with the incidence of pruritis, vitiligo, and rash; this association was significant for vitiligo (p = 0.0483). Our analysis provides benchmark incidence rates for cirAEs and links cirAEs with favorable treatment outcomes at a study level across diverse solid tumors and multiple ICI regimens.

The incidence, pathogenesis, and management of non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer and is divided into two distinct subtypes, clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC). Although many treatments exist for RCC, these are largely based on clinical trials performed in ccRCC and there are limited studies on the management of nccRCC. Non-clear cell RCC consists of multiple histological subtypes: papillary, chromophobe, translocation, medullary, collecting duct, unclassified, and other rare histologies. Due to variations in pathogenesis and therapeutic response, therapy should be tailored to specific variant histologies. For patients with localized nccRCC, surgical resection remains the gold standard. In the metastatic setting, the standard of care has yet to be clearly defined, and most guidelines recommend clinical trial participation. General therapeutic options include immunotherapy, either as monotherapy or in combination, targeted therapies such as vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and MET inhibitors, and chemotherapy in certain subtypes. Here we present a review of the incidence and pathogenesis of the various subtypes, as well as available clinical data to support therapeutic recommendations for these subtypes. We also highlight currently available clinical trials in nccRCC and future directions in investigating novel treatment modalities tailored to patients with variant histology.

Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab in previously untreated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and previously treated gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: results from two expansion cohorts of a multicentre, open-label, phase 1b trial (COSMIC-021)

Background

Cabozantinib is approved for previously treated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) and has been investigated in gastric cancer (GC) and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GEJ). Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab is approved for unresectable or metastatic HCC untreated with prior systemic therapy. We evaluated efficacy and safety of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab in aHCC previously untreated with systemic anticancer therapy or previously treated GC/GEJ.

Methods

COSMIC-021 (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03170960) is an open-label, phase 1b study in solid tumours with a dose-escalation stage followed by tumour-specific expansion cohorts, including aHCC (cohort 14) and GC/GEJ (cohort 15). Eligible patients were aged ≥18 years with measurable locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent disease per RECIST version 1.1. Patients received oral cabozantinib 40 mg daily and intravenous atezolizumab 1200 mg once every 3 weeks until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed objective response rate per RECIST version 1.1.

Findings

Patients were screened between February 14, 2019, and May 7, 2020, and 61 (30 aHCC, 31 GC/GEJ) were enrolled and received at least one dose of study treatment. Median duration of follow-up was 31.2 months (IQR 28.5-32.7) for aHCC and 30.4 months (28.7-31.9) for GC/GEJ. Objective response rate was 13% (4/30, 95% CI 4-31) for aHCC and 0% (95% CI 0-11) for GC/GEJ. Six (20%) aHCC patients and three (10%) GC/GEJ patients had treatment-related adverse events resulting in discontinuation of either study drug.

Interpretation

Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab had clinical activity with a manageable safety profile in aHCC previously untreated with systemic anticancer therapy. Clinical activity of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab was minimal in previously treated GC/GEJ.

Funding

Exelixis, Inc., Alameda, CA, USA.

Outcomes of Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma With Non-Clear Cell Histology Treated With Systemic Therapy

BACKGROUND

Patients with nonclear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and RCC with sarcomatoid differentiation have been under-represented in clinical trials. This study evaluates the outcomes and treatment patterns of patients with non-clear cell RCC and RCC with sarcomatoid features compared to those with clear cell RCC receiving systemic therapy.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective analysis of patients with advanced or metastatic RCC receiving systemic therapy was conducted. Patients were divided into groups based on histology: nonclear cell RCC, clear cell RCC, and RCC with and without sarcomatoid features. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) for each group calculated from the date of diagnosis of advanced or metastatic RCC to the date of last follow-up or death. Additionally, an exploratory analysis was conducted by nonclear cell type and type of first-line treatment.

RESULTS

Overall, 251 patients were included, with most treated before 2018. First-line therapies included vascular endothelial growth factor monotherapy (68.5%), immunotherapy monotherapy (7.6%), immunotherapy combination therapy (16.7%), or other treatments (7.2%). Overall survival was shorter for patients with nonclear cell RCC compared to clear cell RCC (39.2 months vs. 81.1 months, hazard ratio (HR), 1.60, 95% Confidence Interval 1.0, 2.6, P = .04). Additionally, OS for patients with sarcomatoid differentiation was shorter compared to patients without sarcomatoid differentiation (43.4 vs. 75.0 months, HR 1.5, 95% CI 0.8, 2.6, P = .20).

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate inferior outcomes among patients with advanced or metastatic nonclear cell RCC and RCC with sarcomatoid differentiation receiving systemic treatment. Further prospective studies are warranted testing immunotherapy combinations and novel treatments in patients with nonclear cell RCC.

Genitourinary cancers updates: highlights from ASCO 2023

Significant scientific advances in immunotherapy and targeted therapy approaches have improved clinical outcomes and increased treatment options for patients with genitourinary (GU) malignancies. We highlight the clinical trial developments released at the ASCO 2023 annual meeting, including PARP inhibitors for prostate cancer, antibody drug conjugates and fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors for urothelial cancer, and HIF2a inhibitors for renal cell carcinoma. Novel agents such as bispecific antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor T-cells, and radiopharmaceuticals are currently in early phase development and also have high potential impact for the GU cancer landscape. With more treatment options, the field will need to define best treatment sequencing to optimize outcomes for each patient.

Efferocytosis: An accomplice of cancer immune escape

The clearance of apoptotic cells by efferocytes such as macrophages and dendritic cells is termed as "efferocytosis", it plays critical roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Currently, available studies indicate that efferocytosis-related molecules and pathways are tightly associated with cancer development, metastasis and treatment resistance, efferocytosis also induces an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and assists cancer cells escape from immune surveillance. In this study, we reviewed the underlying mechanisms of efferocytosis in mediating the occurrence of cancer immune escape, and then emphatically summarized the strategies of using efferocytosis as therapeutic target to enhance the anti-tumor efficacies of immune checkpoint inhibitors, hoping to provide powerful evidences for more effective therapeutic regimens of malignant tumors.

Preventing NK cell activation in the damaged liver induced by cabozantinib/PD-1 blockade increases survival in hepatocellular carcinoma models

The addition of anti-VEGF antibody treatment to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has increased the efficacy of immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite an initial promise, adding multitargeted kinase inhibitors of VEGFR with ICB has failed to increase survival in HCC. To reveal the mechanisms underlying treatment failure, we studied the effects of cabozantinib/ICB using orthotopic murine HCC models with or without liver damage. We monitored tumor growth and liver function, recorded survival outcomes, and performed immune profiling studies for intra-tumoral and surrounding liver. Cabozantinib/ICB treatment led to tumor regression and significantly improved survival in mice with normal livers. However, consistent with the clinical findings, combination therapy failed to show survival benefits despite similar tumor control when tested in the same models but in mice with liver fibrosis. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data converged, showing that activating immune responses by cabozantinib/ICB treatment induced hepatoxicity. Immune profiling revealed that combination therapy effectively reprogrammed the tumor immune microenvironment and increased NK cell infiltration and activation in the damaged liver tissue. Surprisingly, systemic depletion of NK reduced hepatotoxicity elicited by the combination therapy without compromising its anti-cancer effect, and significantly enhanced the survival benefit even in mice with HCC and underlying liver fibrosis. These findings demonstrate that preventing NK activation allowed for maintaining a favorable therapeutic ratio when combining ICB with cabozantinib in advanced HCC models.

Activity of Tivozanib in Non-clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Subgroup Analysis From a Phase II Randomized Discontinuation Trial

BACKGROUND

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) is a blanket term for a collection of heterogeneous and biologically diverse RCC histologies, including but not limited to papillary, chromophobe, and unclassified subtypes. Tivozanib is a selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that demonstrated activity in RCC with clear cell component. The objective of this analysis was to determine the efficacy of tivozanib in histologically unclassified/mixed RCC.

METHODS

We identified patients with nccRCC enrolled in Study 201 (NCT00502307) between October 2007 and July 2008. This was a phase II randomized discontinuation trial of tivozanib in patients with RCC who had no prior VEGFR-targeted treatment. Clinical outcomes including investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR, defined by complete response + partial response + stable disease), and progression-free survival (PFS) were examined.

RESULTS

Of the 272 patients enrolled, 46 (16.9%) patients had nccRCC: 11 (4%) papillary, 2 (0.7%) chromophobe, 2 (0.7%) collecting duct, and 31 (11.4%) mixed/unclassified. Of the 46 patients with nccRCC, 38 were continuously treated with tivozanib and the best ORR was 21.1% (confirmed) and 31.6% (confirmed and unconfirmed). The DCR was 73.7% and median PFS was 6.7 months (95% confidence interval, 125-366 days). There were no new safety signals compared to the ITT population. Limitations include the small number of individual nccRCC subtypes and the randomized discontinuation design.

CONCLUSION

Tivozanib demonstrated activity and a favorable safety profile in patients with nccRCC. These data add to the body of evidence supporting the use of VEGFR-TKI in advanced nccRCC.

Renal Cell Carcinoma of Variant Histology: Biology and Therapies

The term variant histology renal cell carcinomas (vhRCCs), also known as non-clear cell RCCs, refers to a diverse group of malignancies with distinct biologic and therapeutic considerations. The management of vhRCC subtypes is often based on extrapolating results from the more common clear cell RCC studies or basket trials that are not specific to each histology. The unique management of each vhRCC subtype necessitates accurate pathologic diagnosis and dedicated research efforts. Herein, we discuss tailored recommendations for each vhRCC histology informed by ongoing research and clinical experience.

Managing Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma after Progression on Immunotherapy

Treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) after first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) lacks standardization, with limited evidence from small trials and retrospective data. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibition through tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is the most widely adopted second-line treatment. Encouraging results have been seen with VEGFR-TKIs in the second-line after exposure to an ICI-based combination, achieving a response rate of 30%, and 75% of patients achieving disease control. Rechallenge with ICI alone seems safe but has limited clinical benefit. Promising regimens with combination therapies and novel drugs are being evaluated in phase 3 trials.

Systemic Treatment for Advanced and Metastatic Non-Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Examining Modern Therapeutic Strategies for a Notoriously Challenging Malignancy

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) is a heterogeneous group of malignancies that represents 25% of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cases. Treatment for non-clear cell histologies is mostly based on evidence from small phase II clinical trials or extrapolated from successful therapies in clear cell RCC because of the low incidence of non-clear cell pathology. Advances in genomic profiling have improved clinicians' understanding of molecular targets for nccRCC, such as altered mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) gene status and fumarate hydratase (FH) gene inactivation, but patient outcomes remain poor and optimal management of this disease remains unclear. This review assesses outcomes by histologic subtype from 27 prospective and 13 ongoing clinical trials to identify therapeutic strategies for advanced or metastatic nccRCC. Vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), such as sunitinib, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, such as everolimus, have demonstrated efficacy and remain viable treatment options, with a preference for sunitinib. However, everolimus is preferred in patients with chromophobe RCC because folliculin (FLCN) gene mutations upregulate the mTOR pathway. Novel TKIs, such as cabozantinib, show improved outcomes in patients with papillary RCC because of targeted MET inhibition. Platinum-based chemotherapy continues to be the recommended treatment strategy for collecting duct and medullary RCC. Clinically meaningful antitumor activity has been observed across all non-clear cell histologies for immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and ipilimumab. Ongoing trials are evaluating novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor and immunotherapy combination regimens, with an emphasis on the promising MET-inhibitor cabozantinib and pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib.

An Overview of Systemic Targeted Therapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma, with a Focus on Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma and Brain Metastases

The most commonly diagnosed malignancy of the urinary system is represented by renal cell carcinoma. Various subvariants of RCC were described, with a clear-cell type prevailing in about 85% of all RCC tumors. Patients with metastases from renal cell carcinoma did not have many effective therapies until the end of the 1980s, as long as hormonal therapy and chemotherapy were the only options available. The outcomes were unsatisfactory due to the poor effectiveness of the available therapeutic options, but then interferon-alpha and interleukin-2 showed treatment effectiveness, providing benefits but only for less than half of the patients. However, it was not until 2004 that targeted therapies emerged, prolonging the survival rate. Currently, new technologies and strategies are being developed to improve the actual efficacy of available treatments and their prognostic aspects. This article summarizes the mechanisms of action, importance, benefits, adverse events of special interest, and efficacy of immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, with a focus on brain metastases.

Tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoints inhibitors in favorable risk metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Trick or treat?

Over the past decade, the management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has undergone rapid evolution, culminating in a significant improvement in prognosis with frontline immunotherapy. RCC is a highly immunogenic and pro-angiogenic cancer, and mounting evidence has established the immunosuppressive effects of pro-angiogenic factors on the host's immune system. Anti-angiogenic agents such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and bevacizumab, which obstruct the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway, have demonstrated the potential to enhance antitumor activity and improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Consequently, various combinations of TKIs and ICIs have been assessed and are currently considered the preferred regimens for all metastatic RCC patients, regardless of their prognostic risk score. Nevertheless, some inquiries have arisen within the medical community, as metastatic RCC patients with favorable risk scores who received ICIs and TKIs in combination showed no statistically significant advantage in overall survival compared to those treated with sunitinib alone. Considering these concerns, this review aims to elucidate the rationale behind TKI and ICI combination therapies, provide a summary of current first-line metastatic RCC combinations approved for use, with a focus on favorable-risk patients, and outline present challenges and future perspectives in this context.

Advanced Non-Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Treatments and Survival: A Real-World Single-Centre Experience

BACKGROUND

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) is a heterogeneous group of cancer. Treatment recommendations are extrapolated from ccRCC and lack solid evidence. Here, we review advanced nccRCC patients treated at our institute.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We collected retrospective data on all advanced nccRCC pts treated at the Istituto Oncologico Veneto from January 2008. We compared overall response rate (ORR), progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) according to histological subtypes and type of systemic treatments. Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and Cox regression were used to estimate and compare PFS and OS.

RESULTS

Of 1370 RCC patients, 289 had a diagnosis of nccRCC and 121 were eligible for the analysis. Fifty-three pts showed papillary histology (pRCC), 15 chromophobe; 37 unclassified RCC (NOS-RCC), 16 other histologies. Pts with chromophobe and other hystologies showed poorer survival rates compared to pRCC and NOS-RCC (mOS 10.7 vs. 20.7 vs. 30.7, p = 0.34). Pts treated with combination regimens achieved a better OS (30.7 vs. 13.7, p = 0.10), PFS (12.7 vs. 6.4, p = 0.10) and ORR (42.4% vs. 13.9%, p = 0.002) than those treated with monotherapy. IMDC and Meet-URO score retained their prognostic value.

CONCLUSION

Our retrospective real-life cohort of advanced nccRCC patients shows that immunotherapy-based combinations could improve ORR, PFS and OS compared to TKI monotherapy. Prospective trials for nccRCC patients utilizing novel therapies are ongoing and their results eagerly awaited.

First-line systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

The rapid development of novel therapeutic options for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) has generated some uncertainty about the rational choice of the systemic upfront treatment. So far, a variety of therapeutic strategies have been investigated, including the combination of immunecheckpoint inhibitors and anti-VEGF. To identify the treatment that should be preferred as front-line approach, we compared the efficacy and toxicity of a variety of therapeutic strategies. With this aim, we performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. OS, PFS, ORR and tolerability outcomes were considered, and for each outcome the treatment ranking was evaluated by the surface under the cumulative rankings (SUCRAs). Combination of Camrelizumab + Rivoceranib scored the best in OS, followed by Sintilimab + Bevacizumab, whereas Lenvatinib + Pembrolizumab showed higher probability to be the best treatment in PFS and Sintilimab + Bevacizumab performed best in ORR. Finally, Durvalumab is the most tolerated treatment.

Spatial heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment influences the prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is an immunologically and histologically diverse tumor. However, how the structural heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment (TME) affects cancer progression and treatment response remains unclear. Hence, we characterized the TME architectures of ccRCC tissues using imaging mass cytometry (IMC) and explored their associations with clinical outcome and therapeutic response.

METHODS

Using IMC, we profiled the TME landscape of ccRCC and paracancerous tissue by measuring 17 markers involved in tissue architecture, immune cell and immune activation. In the ccRCC tissue, we identified distinct immune architectures of ccRCC tissue based on the mix score and performed cellular neighborhood (CN) analysis to subdivide TME phenotypes. Moreover, we assessed the relationship between the different TME phenotypes and ccRCC patient survival, clinical features and treatment response.

RESULTS

We found that ccRCC tissues had higher levels of CD8⁺ T cells, CD163^- macrophages, Treg cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts than paracancerous tissues. Immune infiltrates in ccRCC tissues distinctly showed clustered and scattered patterns. Within the clustered pattern, we identified two subtypes with different clinical outcomes based on CN analysis. The TLS-like phenotype had cell communities resembling tertiary lymphoid structures, characterized by cell-cell interactions of CD8⁺ T cells-B cells and GZMB⁺CD8⁺ T cells-B cells, which exhibited anti-tumor features and favorable outcomes, while the Macrophage/T-clustered phenotype with macrophage- or T cell-dominated cell communities had a poor prognosis. Patients with scattered immune architecture could be further divided into scattered-CN-hot and scattered-CN-cold phenotypes based on the presence or absence of immune CNs, but both had a better prognosis than the macrophage/T-clustered phenotype. We further analyzed the relationship between the TME phenotypes and treatment response in five metastatic ccRCC patients treated with sunitinib, and found that all three responders were scattered-CN-hot phenotype while both non-responders were macrophage/T-clustered phenotype.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed the structural heterogeneity of TME in ccRCC and its impact on clinical outcome and personalized treatment. These findings highlight the potential of IMC and CN analysis for characterizing TME structural units in cancer research.

Atezolizumab plus cabozantinib versus cabozantinib monotherapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma after progression with previous immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment (CONTACT-03): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are the standard of care for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, yet optimised treatment of patients whose disease progresses after these therapies is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether adding atezolizumab to cabozantinib delayed disease progression and prolonged survival in patients with disease progression on or after previous immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

METHODS

CONTACT-03 was a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial, done in 135 study sites in 15 countries in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Patients aged 18 years or older with locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma whose disease had progressed with immune checkpoint inhibitors were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive atezolizumab (1200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks) plus cabozantinib (60 mg orally once daily) or cabozantinib alone. Randomisation was done through an interactive voice-response or web-response system in permuted blocks (block size four) and stratified by International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium risk group, line of previous immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, and renal cell carcinoma histology. The two primary endpoints were progression-free survival per blinded independent central review and overall survival. The primary endpoints were assessed in the intention-to-treat population and safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04338269, and is closed to further accrual.

FINDINGS

From July 28, 2020, to Dec 27, 2021, 692 patients were screened for eligibility, 522 of whom were assigned to receive atezolizumab-cabozantinib (263 patients) or cabozantinib (259 patients). 401 (77%) patients were male and 121 (23%) patients were female. At data cutoff (Jan 3, 2023), median follow-up was 15·2 months (IQR 10·7-19·3). 171 (65%) patients receiving atezolizumab-cabozantinib and 166 (64%) patients receiving cabozantinib had disease progression per central review or died. Median progression-free survival was 10·6 months (95% CI 9·8-12·3) with atezolizumab-cabozantinib and 10·8 months (10·0-12·5) with cabozantinib (hazard ratio [HR] for disease progression or death 1·03 [95% CI 0·83-1·28]; p=0·78). 89 (34%) patients in the atezolizumab-cabozantinib group and 87 (34%) in the cabozantinib group died. Median overall survival was 25·7 months (95% CI 21·5-not evaluable) with atezolizumab-cabozantinib and was not evaluable (21·1-not evaluable) with cabozantinib (HR for death 0·94 [95% CI 0·70-1·27]; p=0·69). Serious adverse events occurred in 126 (48%) of 262 patients treated with atezolizumab-cabozantinib and 84 (33%) of 256 patients treated with cabozantinib; adverse events leading to death occurred in 17 (6%) patients in the atezolizumab-cabozantinib group and nine (4%) in the cabozantinib group.

INTERPRETATION

The addition of atezolizumab to cabozantinib did not improve clinical outcomes and led to increased toxicity. These results should discourage sequential use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with renal cell carcinoma outside of clinical trials.

FUNDING

F Hoffmann-La Roche and Exelixis.

Mechanisms and clinical implications in renal carcinoma resistance: narrative review of immune checkpoint inhibitors

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common histological subtype of renal cell carcinoma. The prognosis for patients with ccRCC has improved over recent years with the use of combination therapies with an anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) backbone. This has enhanced the quality of life and life expectancy of patients with this disease. Unfortunately, not all patients benefit; eventually, most patients will develop resistance to therapy and progress. Recent molecular, biochemical, and immunological research has extensively researched anti-angiogenic and immune-based treatment resistance mechanisms. This analysis offers an overview of the principles underpinning the resistance pathways related to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Additionally, novel approaches to overcome resistance that may be considered for the trial context are discussed.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Rechallenge in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Current Evidence and Future Directions

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapies represent the current standard of care in the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Despite a clear benefit in survival outcomes, a considerable proportion of patients experience disease progression; prospective data about second-line therapy after first-line treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors are limited to small phase II studies. As with other solid tumors (such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer), preliminary data about the clinical efficacy of rechallenge of immunotherapy (alone or in combination with other drugs) in renal cell carcinoma are beginning to emerge. Nevertheless, the role of rechallenge in immunotherapy in this setting of disease remains unclear and cannot be considered a standard of care; currently some randomized trials are exploring this approach in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The aim of our review is to summarize main evidence available in the literature concerning immunotherapy rechallenge in renal carcinoma, especially focusing on biological rationale of resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, on the published data of clinical efficacy and on future perspectives.

A Phase I/II Clinical Trial of Pembrolizumab and Cabozantinib in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Purpose

Immune checkpoint inhibitor and VEGFR inhibitor combinations are effective treatments for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). This phase I/II clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab and cabozantinib in patients with mRCC.

Experimental Design

Eligible patients had mRCC with clear-cell or non-clear cell histology, adequate organ function, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0-1 performance status, and no prior exposure to pembrolizumab or cabozantinib. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) at the recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Secondary endpoints included safety, disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

Results

Forty-five patients were enrolled. A total of 40 patients were treated at the RP2D of pembrolizumab 200 mg i.v. every 3 weeks and cabozantinib 60 mg orally once daily, 38 of which were evaluable for response. The ORR was 65.8% [95% confidence interval (CI), 49.9-78.8] for all evaluable patients [78.6% as first-line therapy, 58.3% as second-line therapy]. The DCR was 97.4% (95% CI, 86.5-99.9). Median DoR was 8.3 months (interquartile range, 4.6-15.1). At a median follow-up of 23.54 months, the median PFS was 10.45 months (95% CI, 6.25-14.63) and median OS was 30.81 months (95% CI, 24.2-not reached). The most common grade 1 and/or 2 treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) were diarrhea, anorexia, dysgeusia, weight loss, and nausea. The most common grade 3 and/or 4 TRAEs were hypertension, hypophosphatemia, alanine transaminase elevation, diarrhea, and fatigue. There was one grade 5 TRAE of reversible posterior encephalopathy syndrome related to cabozantinib.

Conclusions

Pembrolizumab and cabozantinib treatment in patients with mRCC demonstrated encouraging preliminary efficacy and a manageable toxicity profile comparable with other available checkpoint inhibitor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor combinations.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03149822 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03149822.

Significance

This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the combination of pembrolizumab and cabozantinib in patients with mRCC. The safety profile was manageable. The combination showed promising activity with an objective response rate of 65.8%, median PFS of 10.45 months, and median OS of 30.81 months.

Multicenter retrospective study of initial treatment outcome and feasibility of initiating dose reduction of cabozantinib in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM

Cabozantinib (CAB), a multiple kinase inhibitor, has been approved for use in patients with previously treated unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, real-world clinical data are lacking, particularly clinical data regarding dose modifications of CAB. We analyzed the clinical outcomes of CAB in uHCC and compared treatment outcomes between the full- and reduced-dose groups.

METHODS

This multicenter, observational study included patients with uHCC who were treated with CAB from March 2021 to April 2022. Patient characteristics, efficacy, and safety were compared between the full- and reduced-dose groups.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients from eight institutes were analyzed. Cabozantinib was administered as a third-line or later treatment in 25 (96.2%) patients and postimmunotherapy in 21 (80.5%) patients. There were 15 patients in the full-dose group (60 mg CAB) and 11 in the reduced-dose group (40 or 20 mg CAB). The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were not significantly different between the two groups. The ORR was 6.7% for the full-dose group and 9.1% for the reduced-dose group, and the DCR was 53.4% and 81.8%, respectively. Progression-free survival analysis showed no significant differences between the two groups. The incidence of decreased appetite, fatigue, and diarrhea, and the rate of discontinuation and dose reduction, was significantly higher in the full-dose group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that the efficacy and safety of CAB in real-world clinical practice are comparable to those of the phase III trial (CELESTIAL), and that dose reduction of CAB may be a safer treatment option.

An Update on the Treatment of Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is the second-most common subtype of kidney cancer following clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), representing 15% of kidney cancers. Despite advances in therapy, including combination strategies with targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors, progress has lagged behind that of ccRCC. This is in part due to the heterogenous nature of the various subtypes of pRCC. More recently, investigators have turned efforts towards histology and biology-based trials. In this review, we outline some of the distinct biological characteristics of pRCC and discuss the most impactful clinical trials to date. Finally, we look ahead to several highly anticipated ongoing trials in pRCC.

Navigating the Current Landscape of Non-Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Review of the Literature

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) is an entity comprised of a heterogeneous constellation of RCC subtypes. Genomic profiling has broadened our understanding of molecular pathogenic mechanisms unique to individual nccRCC subtypes. To date, clinical trials evaluating the use of immunotherapies and targeted therapies have predominantly been conducted in patients with clear cell histology. A comprehensive review of the literature has been undertaken in order to describe molecular pathogenic mechanisms pertaining to each nccRCC subtype, and concisely summarise findings from therapeutic trials conducted in the nccRCC space.

Epigenetic modification-related mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma resistance to immune checkpoint inhibition

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes most primary liver cancers and is one of the most lethal and life-threatening malignancies globally. Unfortunately, a substantial proportion of HCC patients are identified at an advanced stage that is unavailable for curative surgery. Thus, palliative therapies represented by multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) sorafenib remained the front-line treatment over the past decades. Recently, the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), especially targeting the PD-1/PD-L1/CTLA-4 axis, has achieved an inspiring clinical breakthrough for treating unresectable solid tumors. However, many HCC patients with poor responses lead to limited benefits in clinical applications, which has quickly drawn researchers' attention to the regulatory mechanisms of immune checkpoints in HCC immune evasion. Evasion of immune surveillance by cancer is attributed to intricate reprogramming modulation in the tumor microenvironment. Currently, more and more studies have found that epigenetic modifications, such as chromatin structure remodeling, DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, and non-coding RNA levels, may contribute significantly to remodeling the tumor microenvironment to avoid immune clearance, affecting the efficacy of immunotherapy for HCC. This review summarizes the rapidly emerging progress of epigenetic-related changes during HCC resistance to ICIs and discusses the mechanisms of underlying epigenetic therapies available for surmounting immune resistance. Finally, we summarize the clinical advances in combining epigenetic therapies with immunotherapy, aiming to promote the formation of immune combination therapy strategies.

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.

A Novel Cuproptosis-Related Prognostic Model and the Hub Gene FDX1 Predict the Prognosis and Correlate with Immune Infiltration in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common malignancy of the urological system with poor prognosis. Cuproptosis is a recently discovered novel manner of cell death, and the hub gene FDX1 could promote cuproptosis. However, the potential roles of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) and FDX1 for predicting prognosis, the immune microenvironment, and therapeutic response have been poorly studied in ccRCC. In the present study, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data were downloaded. CRGs were subjected to prognosis analysis, and three of them were used to construct the prognostic model by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. The CRGs prognostic model showed excellent performance. Moreover, based on the risk score of the model, the nomogram was developed to predict 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival. Furthermore, the hub gene of cuproptosis, FDX1, was an independent prognostic biomarker in multivariate Cox regression analysis. The pan-cancer analysis showed that FDX1 was significantly downregulated and closely related to prognosis in ccRCC among 33 cancer types. Lower FDX1 was also correlated with worse clinicopathologic features. The lower expression of FDX1 in ccRCC was verified in the external database and our own database, which may be caused by DNA methylation. We further demonstrated that the tumor mutational burden (TMB) and immune cell infiltration were related to the expression of FDX1. Immune response and drug sensitivity analysis revealed that immunotherapy or elesclomol may have a favorable treatment effect in the high FDX1 expression group and sunitinib or axitinib may work better in the low FDX1 expression group. In conclusion, we constructed a CRGs prognostic model and revealed that FDX1 could serve as a prognostic biomarker and predict therapeutic response in ccRCC. The study will provide a novel, precise, and individual treatment strategy for ccRCC patients.

Expert Insights on Current Treatments for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical and Molecular Approaches and Bottlenecks to Progress

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver tumor that typically occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease/cirrhosis. Treatment modalities for HCC have evolved and given the variety of treatment options, a multi-disciplinary approach requiring input from surgical, medical, and radiation oncology, hepatology, and interventional radiology is necessary. Multiple advances have been made over the last decade regarding treatment of HCC, especially advanced disease. Resection and transplantation remain as cornerstone curative-intent treatment options. For patients who are not candidates for curative-intent therapy, exciting progress has been made in molecular and cellular approaches to systemic therapy for HCC including immunotherapies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Although the prognosis for advanced HCC remains poor, the armamentarium of therapies has increased, and valuable years of life can be gained with these therapies. While the main therapeutic modality for early-stage disease remains resection, multimodal immunotherapy has emerged as first-line treatment for advanced disease. We herein review different clinical and molecular treatment modalities related to the treatment of HCC, as well as provide insights into future directions for HCC treatment. We highlight how research and progress are needed to move into a new era of molecular and cellular treatments.