Dr. Braun on Evolution of Immunotherapy in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

David A. Braun, MD, PhD, physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, discusses the evolution of immunotherapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Immunotherapy has been transformative for patients with advanced RCC, says Braun. However, immunotherapy is not a brandnew approach for this disease. Previously, therapeutic options such as interferons and interleukin-2 therapy were used. Then, in the mid 2000s, the introduction of antiangiogenics, blood vessel—blocking agents, transformed the management of kidney cancer at that time.

Recently, with the introduction of the immune checkpoint blockade, often in combination with other drugs, patients with RCC are experiencing dramatic responses. Not only are more patients responding to treatments and living longer, but a tail of the curve can be seen as well, says Braun. The overarching goal in cancer care is to find a cure, and these patients appear to experience long-term and durable responses with immunotherapy.