Dr. Tykodi on the Clinical Implications of the KEYNOTE-427 Trial in Advanced RCC

Scott S. Tykodi, MD, PhD, physician, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, associate professor, Division of Medical Oncology, Clinical Research Division, University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, discusses the clinical implications of the phase 2 KEYNOTE-427 trial in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

During the 2020 ASCO Virtual Scientific Program, findings from the study showed promising antitumor activity with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) monotherapy as first-line therapy in patients with advanced RCC.

These data represent a potential option for frail patients with advanced RCC who are ineligible to receive doublet therapy but may benefit from PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, explains Tykodi.

Pembrolizumab monotherapy has been evaluated in the adjuvant setting for patients with RCC following nephrectomy in the phase 3 KEYNOTE-564 trial. 

Although pembrolizumab monotherapy is not expected to receive an indication in the frontline setting in advanced RCC, it is approved in combination with axitinib (Inlyta) in this setting, Tykodi concludes.