Efficacy of sunitinib in patients with metastatic or unresectable renal cell carcinoma and renal insufficiency

Association Between Kidney Function and Outcomes Following Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Based Combination Therapy in Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

It remains unclear whether kidney function affects outcomes following immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based combination therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated data of 167 patients with advanced RCC, including 98 who received ICI dual combination therapy (ie, immunotherapy [IO]-IO) and 69 who received ICI combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) (ie, IO-TKI). In each regimen, treatment profiles were assessed according to the grade of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as defined by the KDIGO 2012 criteria.

RESULTS

Of the 98 patients who received IO-IO, 31 (32%), 30 (31%), 15 (15%), and 22 (22%) had CKD G1/2, G3a, G3b, and G4/5, respectively. Of the 69 patients who received IO-TKI, 18 (26%), 25 (36%), and 26 (38%) had G1/2, G3a, and G3b/4/5, respectively. Regarding efficacy, progression-free survival, overall survival, or objective response rate was not different according to the CKD grade in both treatment groups (P > .05). Regarding safety, the rate of adverse events, treatment interruption, or corticosteroid administration was not different according to the CKD grade in the IO-IO group (P > .05), whereas in the IO-TKI group, the incidence of grade ≥ 3 adverse events were significantly higher (P = .0292), and the rates of ICI interruption (P = .0353) and corticosteroid administration (P = .0685) increased, according to the CKD grade.

CONCLUSION

There is a differential safety but comparable efficacy profile between the IO-IO and IO-TKI regimens in patients with CKD. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

Efficacy and safety of axitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Real-world data on patients with renal impairment

OBJECTIVES

Limited information is currently available on the efficacy and safety of axitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients with renal impairment. Therefore, the present study investigated the efficacy and toxicity of axitinib in patients with chronic kidney disease.

METHODS

Post-hoc analyses were performed on a Japanese multicenter cohort study of 477 mRCC patients who received axitinib followed by 1 or 2 regimens of systemic antiangiogenic therapy between January 2012 and December 2016. Differences in clinical characteristics and the efficacy and safety of axitinib were assessed based on pretreatment renal function.

RESULTS

Patients were categorized into the following 5 renal function groups according to baseline renal function: estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 ml/min (n = 133), 45 ml/min ≤eGFR <60 ml/min (n = 153), 30 ml/min ≤eGFR< 45 ml/min (n = 130), eGFR <30 ml/min (n = 45), and dialysis (n = 16). Median progression-free survival (PFS) (95% confidence interval [CI]) in the 5 groups was 11 (8-16), 14 (11-19), 14 (10-19), 12 (8-24), and 6 (3-NR) months, respectively (p = 0.781). After adjustments for treatment-related confounders, the renal function group was not a significant prognostic factor for PFS. Objective response rates in the 5 groups were 22%, 23%, 23%, 18%, 20%, and 38%, respectively (p = 0.468). Regarding adverse events of all grades, hypertension (p = 0.0006) and renal and urinary disorders (p < 0.0001) were more frequently observed in the eGFR <30 ml/min group than in the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Since renal function at the initiation of treatment with axitinib does not adversely affect the efficacy of VEGF-TKI therapy, clinicians do not need to avoid its administration to mRCC patients with impaired renal function in consideration of the risk of progression to end-stage renal disease.

Effectiveness and safety of sorafenib for renal cell, hepatocellular and thyroid carcinoma: pooled analysis in patients with renal impairment

PURPOSE

Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor with regulatory approval in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and refractory differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors like sorafenib may cause proteinuria. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness and safety of sorafenib in RCC, HCC and DTC patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed integrated data from prospective post-marketing surveillance studies for advanced RCC, HCC and DTC. Background factors considered to affect patients' prognosis were balanced by propensity score matching using eGFR cut-off values of 60 mL/min/1.73 m2.

RESULTS

In the combined matched population (N = 2430), sorafenib was equally effective in patients with lower and higher eGFR values. Sorafenib had an overall response rate (ORR: complete + partial responses) of 18.9% and a disease control rate (DCR: complete + partial responses + stable disease) of 67.0%. There were no significant differences between lower and higher eGFR groups for response rates. Renal function was maintained throughout the 12-month study period in the combined population and in each indication. Adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs were reported in 91.6% and 58.2% of propensity score-matched patients, and with no significant differences between lower and higher eGFR groups.

CONCLUSION

The effectiveness and safety of sorafenib were similar in patients with eGFR < 60 and ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 during the 12-month observation period, and without impairing renal function.

Consensus statements on the management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma from the Hong Kong Urological Association and the Hong Kong Society of Uro-Oncology 2019

BACKGROUND

To establish a set of consensus statements for the management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, a total of 12 urologists and clinical oncologists from two professional associations in Hong Kong formed an expert consensus panel.

METHODS

Through a series of meetings and using the modified Delphi method, the panelists presented recent evidence, discussed clinical experiences, and drafted consensus statements on several areas of focus regarding the management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Each statement was eventually voted upon by every panelist based on the practicability of recommendation.

RESULTS

A total of 46 consensus statements were ultimately accepted and established by panel voting.

CONCLUSIONS

Derived from recent evidence and expert insights, these consensus statements were aimed at providing practical guidance to optimize metastatic renal cell carcinoma management and promote a higher standard of clinical care.

Decreased Disposition of Anticancer Drugs Predominantly Eliminated via the Liver in Patients with Renal Failure

Background:

Evidence has revealed that renal impairment can affect the systemic exposure of drugs which are predominantly eliminated via the liver. The modulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters expressed in the liver and/or small intestine by diverse entities, including uremic toxins, in systemic circulation of patients with severe renal failure is considered as the cause of atypical pharmacokinetics, which sometimes induce undesirable adverse events that are especially critical for drugs with narrow therapeutic window such as anticancer drugs. A dosing strategy for anticancer drugs in these patients needs to be established.

Methods:

The effects of renal impairment on the systemic exposure and safety of anticancer drugs were summarized. The proposed mechanisms for the alterations in the pharmacokinetics of these anticancer drugs were also discussed.

Results:

Changes in pharmacokinetics and clinical response were reported in 9 out of 10 cytotoxic anticancer drugs investigated, although available information was limited and sometimes controversial. Systemic exposure of 3 out of 16 tyrosine kinase inhibitors was higher in patients with severe renal failure than that in patients with normal kidney function. An increase in systemic exposure of anticancer drugs in patients with renal impairment is likely to be observed for substrates of OATP1B1, despite the limited evidence.

Conclusion:

The molecular basis for the effect of uremia on non-renal drug elimination still needed to be clarified with further studies to generate generalizable concepts, which may provide insights into establishing better clinical usage of anticancer drugs, i.e. identifying patients at risk and dose adjustment.

Discovery of Pyrido[3',2':5,6]thiopyrano[4,3-d]pyrimidine-Based Antiproliferative Multikinase Inhibitors

Protein kinases dysregulation is extremely common in cancer cells, and the development of new agents able to simultaneously target multiple kinase pathways involved in angiogenesis and tumor growth may offer several advantages in the treatment of cancer. Herein we report the discovery of new pyridothiopyranopyrimidine derivatives (2-4) showing high potencies in VEGFR-2 KDR inhibition as well as antiproliferative effect on a panel of human tumor cell lines. Investigation on the selectivity profile of the representative 2-anilino-substituted compounds 3b, 3i, and 3j revealed a multiplicity of kinase targets that should account for the potent antiproliferative effect produced by these pyridothiopyranopyrimidine derivatives.

Safety and Efficacy of Pazopanib in First-Line Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma With or Without Renal Failure: CORE-URO-01 Study

BACKGROUND

Pazopanib has been approved for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic renal-cell carcinoma on the basis of clinical trials that enrolled only patients with adequate renal function. Few data are available on the safety and efficacy of pazopanib in patients with renal insufficiency. This study investigated the effect of kidney function on treatment outcomes in such patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data of metastatic renal-cell carcinoma patients treated with pazopanib from January 2010 to June 2016 with respect to renal function. Patients with Modification of Diet in Renal Disease ≤ 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (group A) were compared to patients with Modification of Diet in Renal Disease > 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (group B) in terms of progression-free survival, toxicities, response rates, and overall survival.

RESULTS

A total of 229 patients were included: 128 in group A and 101 in group B. Median progression-free survival was 14 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.4-18.5) and 17 months (95% CI, 11.4-22.8), and overall survival was 30.5 months (95% CI, 8-53) and 41.4 months (95% CI, 21-62) for group A and group B, respectively, with no significant difference (P = .6). No significant difference between the 2 groups was reported in the incidence of adverse events. Dose reductions were more frequent in group A patients (66% vs. 36%; P = .04).

CONCLUSION

Although the dose of pazopanib was reduced more frequently in patients with renal impairment, kidney function at therapy initiation does not adversely affect the safety and efficacy of pazopanib.

Efficacy and safety of sorafenib for advanced renal cell carcinoma: real-world data of patients with renal impairment

Background

We retrospectively analysed the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma with renal impairment.

Methods

Patients were divided into two groups by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) cut-off of 45 mL/min/1.73 m². Background factors considered to affect prognosis were well balanced by propensity score matching between the groups. Demographics, dose modification, adverse events, tumour response, progression-free survival, and renal function (eGFR) were evaluated.

Results

Among 935 and 2008 patients with an eGFR of <45 and ≥45, respectively, 613 pairs were matched. The mean starting dose was significantly lower in patients with an eGFR of <45; however, the mean daily dose, median treatment duration, progression-free survival, and tumour response were similar between the groups. In terms of safety, no significant differences were found in serious adverse events, although cytopaenia (16.6% vs 10.6%) and renal dysfunction (4.4% vs 0.7%) were higher in patients with an eGFR of <45 than ≥45 in all adverse events. There were also no differences in dose modification, including dose reduction, dose interruption, and treatment discontinuation.

Conclusion

Throughout the 12-month observation period, sorafenib in patients with an eGFR of <45 and ≥45 showed similar safety and efficacy, and treatment was continued without affecting renal function.

The Inverse Association between the Baseline Renal Function and Overall Survival in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Molecular-Targeted Agents

Background

The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of the baseline renal function in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients treated with molecular-targeted agents.

Patients and Methods

This study included 408 consecutive mRCC patients receiving molecular-targeted therapy, consisting of 124 patients in group A and 284 patients in group B who had baseline estimated glomerular filtration rates ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m² and < 60 ml/min/1.73 m², respectively.

Results

Compared with group A, group B was significantly less likely to have poor prognostic factors, such as a high proportion of patients without nephrectomy. The median overall survivals (OSs) after the initiation of targeted therapy in groups A and B were 21.4 and 35.8 months, respectively, and there was a significant difference in the OS between the 2 groups. However, multivariate analysis showed a lack of independent impact of the baseline renal function on the OS. Furthermore, when patients without a nephrectomy were excluded, no significant difference was noted in the OS between the 2 groups.

Conclusion

These findings suggested that there was no adverse impact of an unfavorable baseline renal function on the efficacy of targeted agents against mRCC. Thus, molecular-targeted therapy should not be avoided in mRCC patients with an impaired baseline renal function.

Baseline chronic kidney disease is associated with toxicity and survival in patients treated with targeted therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

To assess the impact of baseline chronic kidney disease on targeted therapy (TT)-induced toxicities and survival in patients treated for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Data from patients receiving first-line TT from January 2006 to June 2012 were collected retrospectively. TT side effects, time to treatment failure (TTF), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed according to the baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR) calculated using the modification diet in renal disease formula. Hundred and two patients treated with sunitinib (N=67), sorafenib (N=24), or temsirolimus (N=11) were included. Forty-two patients (41%) had baseline chronic kidney disease with GFR less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m. Patients with GFR less than 60 were more likely to encounter severe (grade 3-4) TT-induced toxicities (79 vs. 32%, P<0.0001). Moreover, renal function impairment was significantly associated with higher median TTF and OS (respectively, 12 vs. 6 months for TTF, P=0.003; and 33 vs. 13 months for OS, P=0.001). On multivariate analysis, GFR less than 60 was identified as the only factor associated with a higher rate of severe toxicity: odds ratio=4.74 (1.67-13.41), P=0.003. Severe toxicity (P=0.05) was identified as an independent prognostic factor for OS and TTF. Baseline chronic kidney disease was associated with higher TT-induced toxicities, which were identified as a prognostic factor of higher survival in mRCC treatment. These results suggest that GFR measurement could be used to optimize the efficacy of TT in patients treated for an mRCC.