Ramaprasad Srinivasan, MD, PhD, head, Molecular Cancer Therapeutic Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, discusses the challenges of developing new therapies to treat patients with rare renal cell carcinoma (RCC) subtypes.

In the preclinical setting, researching potentially novel therapies for RCC subtypes is difficult because many of them are exceedingly rare, Srinivasan says. 

Key research tools, such as cell lines and genetically engineered models for treatment evaluation, are limited in this setting compared with more common subtypes, such as clear cell RCC, explains Srinivasan.

Additionally, the speed in which research can be conducted among rare RCC subtypes is a challenge faced in the laboratory setting, Srinivasan says. In the clinical trial setting, accruing patients with rare tumors to open studies also presents a significant hurdle to overcome, concludes Srinivasan.

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Ramaprasad Srinivasan, MD, PhD, discusses the challenges of developing new therapies to treat patients with rare renal cell carcinoma subtypes.  



Dr. Srinivasan on the Challenges of Developing New Therapies in Rare RCC Subtypes 

Ramaprasad Srinivasan, MD, PhD, staff clinician, Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, discusses the need for targeted therapies for patients with non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the types of agents these patients are likely to benefit from.

Over the last several years, researchers have examined if VEGF inhibitors, which demonstrate significant activity in patients with clear cell RCC, would be as effective in patients with non-clear cell RCC. These agents do have a benefit in a small subset of patients with non-clear cell RCC, Srinivasan explains. The biology of non-clear cell RCC, which is made up of multiple subtypes, needs to be better studied to understand which targets will benefit from therapy.

Promising findings are being reported with inhibitors that target MET, a pathway found in patients with the type 1 papillary RCC subtype, he adds.

View more from the 2016 GU Cancer Symposium

Ramaprasad Srinivasan, MD, PhD, staff clinician, Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, discusses the need for targeted therapies for patients with non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the types of agents these patients are likely benefit to from. 


Ramaprasad Srinivasan, MD, PhD

Articles

Dr. Srinivasan on the Challenges of Developing New Therapies in Rare RCC Subtypes

Dr. Srinivasan on Targeted Therapies for Non-Clear Cell RCC