Understanding the Impact of Molecular Subtypes on the Effectiveness of Kidney Cancer Treatments (Ipilimumab + Nivolumab and Sunitinib)

Kidney cancer is a serious disease that can spread to other parts of the body. One common type is called clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). When ccRCC spreads, it is called metastatic ccRCC. More than 100,000 of people around the world are affected by this condition every year.

Doctors usually treat metastatic ccRCC using a mix of special medicines that help the immune system fight cancer. These medicines include anti-Programmed cell Death-1 (PD-1)/Programmed cell Death ligand 1(PD-L1) antibodies and anti-Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen-4(CTLA-4) antibodies, which help “wake up” immune cells so they can attack cancer cells. Other patients get medicines called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which block signals that help cancer grow. However, we don’t yet know which treatment works best for which patient. Right now, there is no test to help doctors choose the best treatment for each person.

In this study, we want to look at how genes are working in cancer cells by using a method called Ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing. This helps us understand what is going on inside the cancer. In an earlier study, we found that kidney cancer (renal cancer) can be divided into four different types based on gene activity. Now, we want to see if people with these different types of kidney cancer respond to treatment in different ways.

The requested study compared the efficacy of Ipilimumab (anti-CTLA4 antibody) + Nivolumab (anti-PD-1 antibody) and Sunitinib (TKI). Using this dataset, we could know patients who are suitable for either anti-PD-1 + anti-CTLA4 antibody or TKIs. This research could help doctors choose the right treatment for each patient in the future