Adjuvant therapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma following surgery: a focus on pembrolizumab. 

 -  2022 
<br/><br/> AREAS COVERED: We provide an overview of efforts to develop an adjuvant therapy in patients with high-risk RCC. This includes a critical review of efficacy, toxicity, and clinical implications from a large phase III trial leading to the FDA and EMA approvals of adjuvant pembrolizumab.  EXPERT OPINION: Pembrolizumab offers an effective and well-tolerated adjuvant therapy for patients with surgically resected RCC at high-risk of disease recurrence. Future research will focus on optimal patient selection and biomarkers that predict benefit and/or toxicity from therapy.  INTRODUCTION: Many patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who undergo surgery with curative intent have a high risk of disease recurrence and until recently no palatable adjuvant systemic therapy options. Blocking the programmed death ligand (PD-1) immune checkpoint pathway with pembrolizumab has robust clinical efficacy in patients with metastatic RCC. Results from the KEYNOTE 564 trial demonstrate that adjuvant pembrolizumab significantly improves disease- free survival after nephrectomy or metastasectomy. 
<br/><br/><br/>English 
<br/><br/><label>ISSN: </label>1473-7140 
<br/><br/><label>Standard No.: </label>10.1080/14737140.2022.2072300 [doi] 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>IN PROCESS -- NOT YET INDEXED
<br/><br/><label>Index Terms--Occupation: </label><br/>Hematology & Oncology Fellowship<br/>MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/MedStar Washington Hospital Center
<br/><br/><label>Index Terms--Function: </label><br/>Journal Article