Exploring the role of novel agents in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma represents nearly 3% of all cancers, predominantly affecting individuals >or=50 years of age, and until recently, few treatments options were available for metastatic disease. The 5-year median survival for these patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma has been estimated at <10%. This review explores the data of the most relevant trials focusing on new approaches with novel agents, including sunitinib, sorafenib, bevacizumab, temsirolimus, as well as their combinations with traditional agents. We describe mechanisms of action, activity, and toxicity profile of those agents, as well as administration schedules that have been studied in clinical trials.