Volume 11 | April 2020
Kidney Cancer News
Findings from two phase 2 trials presented at the 2020 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco, California, USA, suggest that combining immune checkpoint inhibition with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is feasible in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).
On March 9th and 10th, KidneyCAN delegates from all over the country gathered in Washington, D.C., to lift their voices on behalf of the kidney cancer community. Twenty-nine advocates from 15 states had the opportunity to attend 92 meetings on Capitol Hill where they met with Congressional staff and members to discuss important issues impacting the kidney cancer community and to ask for increased funding for medical research.
Findings published in Clinical Cancer Research demonstrated a core dependency on hypoxia-inducible factor 2 (HIF-2) in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and established PT2385 as a highly specific HIF-2 inhibitor.
“This study exposes the Achilles’ heel of ccRCC tumors,” lead author James Brugarolas, MD, PhD, professor of internal medicine (hematology/oncology) and director of the Kidney Cancer Program at UT Southwestern, said in a press release.
Metastasectomy is associated with increased survival in patients with intermediate- or high-risk metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), according to new data presented at the 2020 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
More than 80 delegates attended live and dozens more live-streamed the presentations at the 12th annual Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Kidney Cancer Symposium in Boston, Massachusetts.The free event was included some of the best medical practitioners from around the country and was designed to be an opportunity for education and advocacy.
It is known that tumor RNA profiling via RNA sequencing has the potential to identify mechanisms of resistance to immune checkpoint blockade. Several studies of anti PD-L1 or anti-VEGF combination therapy have been done to evaluate the tumour molecular profiles of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. This was done to help inform future strategies to personalize therapies.
Adding sitravatinib to nivolumab results in a higher response rate and longer disease control in patients with advanced clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) than has historically been achieved with nivolumab monotherapy, with no unacceptable toxicity, research shows.
4,000 oncology specialists gathered to share updated clinical findings across a broad variety of topics in the Genitourinary Cancer space.
Martin H. Voss, MD
KIdneyCAN is the voice of kidney cancer advocacy. We have been instrumental in obtaining $40 million for FY'20 research funding for Kidney Cancer through the DoD CDMRP Program. Our goal is $50 million for kidney cancer research in FY'21.

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About The KidneyCAN Newsletter: We scan the web for the latest relevant research and share the best here. If we missed a great one, please contact us and share it with us.

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Disclaimer: The material in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult with a qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have.
KidneyCAN/ Kidney Cancer Coalition | Tel: 202-431-2727 | Bryan.Lewis@KidneyCAN.org