Dr. Jonasch on Single-Agent Pembrolizumab in Non-Clear Cell RCC

Eric Jonasch, MD, professor, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the use of single-agent pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in the treatment of patients with metastatic non—clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Among recent notable trials in the metastatic RCC space is the KEYNOTE-427 study, which looked at pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with non—clear cell histology. Jonasch says this patient population is a complex one with a number of different molecular entities that warrant individualized approaches rather than one homogenous approach.

In the study, objective response rate (ORR) was 24.8% with the PD-1 inhibitor, which Jonasch says is one of the highest ORRs seen in this patient population. Moreover, it appeared that pembrolizumab was more effective in patients with papillary RCC, and less potent in patients with chromophobe histology.