Journal Article

Emerging Immunotherapy Approaches for Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Collier, Katharine A., Wang, Peng, Meng, Lingbin, Zheng, Linghua, Monk, Paul, Mortazavi, Amir, Hu, Zhiwei, Spakowicz, Daniel, Yang, Yuanquan, Li, Zihai

2023

Overview

The most common subtype of renal cell carcinoma is clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). While localized ccRCC can be cured with surgery, metastatic disease has a poor prognosis. Recently, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for advanced ccRCC. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving immunotherapeutic landscape for metastatic ccRCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) like PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors have demonstrated clinical efficacy as monotherapies and in combination regimens. Combination immunotherapies pairing ICIs with antiangiogenic agents, other immunomodulators, or novel therapeutic platforms such as bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy are areas of active research. Beyond the checkpoint blockade, additional modalities including therapeutic vaccines, cytokines, and oncolytic viruses are also being explored for ccRCC. This review discusses the mechanisms, major clinical trials, challenges, and future directions for these emerging immunotherapies. While current strategies have shown promise in improving patient outcomes, continued research is critical for expanding and optimizing immunotherapy approaches for advanced ccRCC. Realizing the full potential of immunotherapy will require elucidating mechanisms of response and resistance, developing predictive biomarkers, and rationally designing combination therapeutic regimens tailored to individual patients. Advances in immunotherapy carry immense promise for transforming the management of metastatic ccRCC.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Antiangiogenic agents / Bispecific antibodies / CAR T cells / Carcinoma, Renal cell / Care and treatment / Cell therapy / Chemokines / Chimeric antigen receptors / clear cell renal cell carcinoma / Clear cell-type renal cell carcinoma / Clinical outcomes / Clinical trials / CTLA-4 protein / FDA approval / Immune checkpoint inhibitors / Immunoglobulins / Immunomodulation / immunotherapeutic combinations / Immunotherapy / Kidney cancer / Lymphocytes / Lymphocytes T / Metastases / Metastasis / Methods / Oncolysis / Patient safety / Patients / PD-1 protein / PD-L1 protein / Regulatory approval / Review / Tumors / Vaccines / Vascular endothelial growth factor