Laurence Albiges, MD, &lrm;medical oncologist, head, Genitourinary Oncology Unit, Gustave Roussy, discusses the next steps for immunotherapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

There is now access to nivolumab (Opdivo) in most countries due to its efficacy in overall survival compared with everolimus (Afinitor) and its safety profile, explains Albiges.

However, given the risks that still exist, more needs to be done to continue to develop the treatment landscape, states Albiges. Physicians are now investigating combination strategies that might improve outcomes.

Videos

Dr. Albiges on Next Steps for Immunotherapy in RCC

Laurence Albiges, MD, &lrm;medical oncologist, head, Genitourinary Oncology Unit, Gustave Roussy, discusses how immunotherapy has had an impact on the field of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

The field has been evolving for some time, Albiges explains. However, exciting immuno-oncology results were presented at the 2015 ESMO Congress. It was here that the findings of a phase III study exploring nivolumab (Opdivo) compared with everolimus (Afinitor) showed that, in patients who failed on 1 or 2 anti-VEGF therapies, there is a role for immunotherapy.

This has made an impact on the standard of care. Next steps, she adds, will include combination studies of immunotherapy agents as an effort to elicit a greater benefit. 

Laurence Albiges, MD, ‎medical oncologist, head, Genitourinary Oncology Unit, Gustave Roussy, discusses how immunotherapy has had an impact on the field of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Dr. Albiges on Immunotherapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Laurence Albiges, MD, visiting scientist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses how oncologists can treat patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) based off of findings from a study that looked at the impact of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes of these patients.

Albiges says obesity and being overweight are established risk factors to develop RCC. Conversely, patients that are overweight typically have smaller tumors and have better outcomes.

In deciding how to treat patients with mRCC who are not overweight, Albiges says that researchers need to first uncover what differs kidney cancer from other tumor types, and why BMI has this effect on patients. She questions if it is because the clear cell RCC, said to be the most histological type of cancer, has a high amount of lipid.

When meeting with patients, oncologists should discuss nutritional status. Weight loss in patients should also be prevented, since it may put them at a higher risk for disease progression or risk for treatment side effects.

Laurence Albiges, MD, visiting scientist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses how oncologists can treat patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) based off of findings from a study that looked at the impact of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes of these patients. 


Dr. Albiges on Implementing mRCC Findings into Practice

Laurence Albiges, MD, visiting scientist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses a study that looked at the impact of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

This study looked at approximately 4000 patients with mRCC treated with systemic therapy. It was confirmed that patients with high BMI were more likely to have a longer overall survival, longer time to treatment failure, and better tumor shrinkage, compared with patients with low or normal BMI.

View more from the 2015 GU Cancer Symposium

Laurence Albiges, MD

Articles

Dr. Albiges on Next Steps for Immunotherapy in RCC

Dr. Albiges on Immunotherapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Dr. Albiges on Implementing mRCC Findings into Practice

Dr. Albiges on the Impact of BMI on Outcomes of Patients With mRCC