Clinical Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes of Patients with Renal Medullary Carcinoma: A Single-center Retrospective Analysis of 135 Patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: SMARCB1-deficient renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a rare kidney cancer associated with sickle cell hemoglobinopathies with poor outcomes described only in case reports and small series. We report disease and management characteristics as well as contemporary survival outcomes in a large cohort of patients with RMC. METHODS: Data were extracted retrospectively from all patients with RMC treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2003 and December 2023. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate overall survival (OS) by diagnosis period. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Among 135 patients (median follow-up of 54.9 mo), only nine did not harbor a sickle hemoglobinopathy and were categorized as having renal cell carcinoma, unclassified with medullary phenotype (RCCU-MP). Most patients (78%) presented with metastatic disease, predominantly to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes (81.7%), and hematuria was the most frequent presenting symptom (60%) in RMC associated with sickle hemoglobinopathy. Survival outcomes improved by diagnosis year (adjusted hazard ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.53-0.92, p = 0.01). RCCU-MP occurred in slightly older patients with median OS of 19.5 mo from diagnosis, did not show a predilection to the right kidney or male predominance, and afflicted mainly Caucasians (89%). The study is limited by its retrospective nature conducted at one center. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: RMC frequently presents with hematuria and is highly likely to spread to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Survival outcomes are improving with contemporary management. RCCU-MP is very rare and may be slightly less aggressive. PATIENT SUMMARY: Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of kidney cancer afflicting primarily young men and women of African descent. There exist limited data regarding patient demographics and disease characteristics. We reported our institution's experience in treating patients with RMC. The first symptom most patients with RMC reported was blood in the urine, and the most common places where the cancer spread were the lymph nodes around the kidney. Patients with RMC are living longer with contemporary treatments.

Updates in the Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma.

At JADPRO Live Virtual 2021, advanced practitioner experts reviewed clinical updates in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, key patient counseling and monitoring considerations, and best practices to manage adverse events associated with therapies for renal cell carcinoma.

Temsirolimus versus Pazopanib (TemPa) in Patients with Advanced Clear-cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Poor-risk Features: A Randomized Phase II Trial.

BACKGROUND: Temsirolimus has level 1 evidence for initial treatment of poor-risk patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), but its efficacy has not been directly compared with an antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor [VEGFR TKi]) in this setting. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate temsirolimus versus pazopanib as first-line therapy in patients with mRCC, predominant clear-cell features, and clinical characteristics of a poor prognosis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A randomized (1:1) phase II trial in 69 treatment-naïve mRCC patients and with three or more predictors of short survival for temsirolimus was conducted during 2012-2017 in a single academic cancer center. Crossover to the alternative treatment upon discontinuation of the first-line agent was permitted. INTERVENTION: Mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitor temsirolimus and VEGFR TKi pazopanib. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), safety, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Radiographic response was assessed by blinded radiologists. Efficacy outcomes were adjusted by prior nephrectomy status, prior interleukin-2 treatment, and the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) score. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Thirty-five patients received temsirolimus and 34 received pazopanib upfront; 72% overall had poor risk by IMDC. Median PFS in the first line was 2.7mo with temsirolimus and 5.2mo with pazopanib (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84-2.22; p=0.210). Median OS was 7.1mo with temsirolimus and 11.9mo with pazopanib (adjusted HR 1.16, 95% CI 0.70-1.93; p=0.558), and ORRs were 5.9% and 21.2%, respectively (adjusted odds ratio 5.2, 95% CI 0.9-29.3; p=0.062). PRO measures favored pazopanib. Five patients discontinued first-line therapy due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Temsirolimus and pazopanib had modest activity in patients with poor-risk clear-cell mRCC, and therefore their use should be discouraged in this setting. PATIENT SUMMARY: We evaluated outcomes of advanced renal cell carcinoma patients presenting with aggressive features when treated with temsirolimus or pazopanib as first-line therapy. Survival was <1yr for most, suggesting that more efficacious alternative treatments should be favored for these patients.

Management and outcomes of patients with renal medullary carcinoma: a multicentre collaborative study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the management strategies and outcomes of patients with renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) and characterise predictors of overall survival (OS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: RMC is a rare and aggressive malignancy that afflicts young patients with sickle cell trait; there are limited data on management to date. This is a study of patients with RMC who were treated in 2000-2015 at eight academic institutions in North America and France. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate OS, measured from initial RMC diagnosis to date of death. Cox regression analysis was used to determine predictors of OS. RESULTS: In all, 52 patients (37 males) were identified. The median (range) age at diagnosis was 28 (9-48) years and 49 patients (94%) had stage III/IV. The median OS for all patients was 13.0 months and 38 patients (75%) had nephrectomy. Patients who underwent nephrectomy had superior OS compared to patients who were treated with systemic therapy only (median OS 16.4 vs 7.0 months, P < 0.001). In all, 45 patients received chemotherapy and 13 (29%) had an objective response; 28 patients received targeted therapies, with 8-week median therapy duration and no objective responses. Only seven patients (13%) survived for >24 months. CONCLUSIONS: RMC carries a poor prognosis. Chemotherapy provides palliation and remains the mainstay of therapy, but <20% of patients survive for >24 months, underscoring the need to develop more effective therapy for this rare tumour. In this study, nephrectomy was associated with improved OS.

Clinical and pathological complete remission in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with sunitinib: Is mRCC curable with targeted therapy?

We report a patient with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) who presented with primary tumor in situ in the left kidney and metastases to bone, liver, lungs, and brain. After over 5 years of sunitinib therapy and subsequent cytoreductive left nephrectomy, the patient achieved radiographic complete response (CR) and had pathologic CR in the nephrectomy specimen. Durable clinical and pathological CRs are possible with targeted agents, even with primary tumor in situ and widely disseminated metastases. Ongoing research will define the optimal duration of systemic therapy in exceptional responders and identify the molecular determinants of response and resistance.

Phase II trial of pemetrexed plus gemcitabine in patients with locally advanced and metastatic nonclear cell renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical activity and safety of the combination of pemetrexed and gemcitabine in advanced nonclear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC). METHODS: In this phase II study, patients received pemetrexed 500 mg/m intravenous infusion over 10 minutes on day 1 followed immediately by gemcitabine 1500 mg/m intravenously over 30 minutes on day 1, with cycles repeated every 14 days. Planned enrollment was 40 patients. The primary endpoints were objective response rate and progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints were safety and overall survival. RESULTS: Between December 2005 and December 2008, 16 patients with locally advanced or metastatic nccRCC were enrolled. The trial was stopped early due to low efficacy and excessive toxicity. The objective response rate was 0% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0%-18%]. The median number of cycles administered was 4 (range, 1 to 12). Median PFS was 3.2 months (95% CI, 1.9-6+), and the 16-week PFS rate was 46.7% (95% CI, 19.8%-100%). Median overall survival was 23.2 months (95% CI, 12.9-38.1). The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were neutropenia (53%), leukopenia (53%), anemia (13%), fatigue (40%), and renal insufficiency (13%). CONCLUSIONS: In this phase II trial in nccRCC, the combination of pemetrexed and gemcitabine was toxic and ineffective. Further development of this regimen in nccRCC is not warranted.