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Review
. 2014 Feb;32(1):31-8.
doi: 10.1007/s00345-013-1033-3. Epub 2013 Feb 12.

Targeted therapy in renal cell carcinoma: moving from molecular agents to specific immunotherapy

Jens Bedke  1 , Cécile Gouttefangeas, Harpreet Singh-Jasuja, Stefan Stevanović, Carl-Ludwig Behnes, Arnulf Stenzl
Affiliations
Review

Targeted therapy in renal cell carcinoma: moving from molecular agents to specific immunotherapy

Jens Bedke et al. World J Urol. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Non-specific immunotherapy has been for a long time a standard treatment option for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma but was redeemed by specific targeted molecular therapies, namely the VEGF and mTOR inhibitors. After moving treatment for mRCC to specific molecular agents with a well-defined mode of action, immunotherapy still needs this further development to increase its accuracy. Nowadays, an evolution from a rather non-specific cytokine treatment to sophisticated targeted approaches in specific immunotherapy led to a re-launch of immunotherapy in clinical studies. Recent steps in the development of immunotherapy strategies are discussed in this review with a special focus on peptide vaccination which aims at a tumor targeting by specific T lymphocytes. In addition, different combinatory strategies with immunomodulating agents like cyclophosphamide or sunitinib are outlined, and the effects of immune checkpoint modulators as anti-CTLA-4 or PD-1 antibodies are discussed.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a Presentation of tumor-associated antigens. b Specific T-cell activation. c Immune checkpoints in RCC
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