About renal cell carcinoma (RCC)
Kidney, or renal cell cancer, develops in the lining of the kidney's tubes and grows into a tumor. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 2% of all new cancer cases worldwide with occurrence rates rising steadily around the world. If left untreated, the tumor can spread to neighboring lymph nodes and eventually other organs.
Patients frequently have advanced RCC at the time of diagnosis, meaning that their tumors have spread outside of the kidneys. Standard initial drug treatment for these patients may include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) targeted therapies.
Treatment of RCC
Surgery—which may include removing part or all of the kidney as well as the bladder, lymph nodes, and other surrounding tissues—is the recommended treatment for patients diagnosed with RCC. Chemotherapy and hormone treatments may help some patients. Medical therapies for RCC that target VEGF include:
- Axitinib
- Bevacizumab
- Lapatinib
- Pazopanib
- Sorafenib
- Sunitinib
- Temsirolimus
Patients with advanced kidney cancer have limited options once they experience tumor progression after VEGF-targeted therapy.
Novartis Oncology is exploring everolimus, different vascular endothelial growth factor targeted therapies, and mTOR and PI3K therapies for advanced RCC.