Kidney Cancer - Volume 5, issue 2

Authors: Tsimafeyeu, Ilya

Article Type: Review Article

Abstract: On November 23, 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nivolumab for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), thus opening a new era of immunotherapy for this tumor. This review summarizes the 5-year experience of studying and using nivolumab in RCC patients.

Keywords: Nivolumab, metastatic renal cell carcinoma

DOI: 10.3233/KCA-200109

Citation: Kidney Cancer, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 63-71, 2021

Authors: Salgia, Sabrina | Salgia, Nicholas | Prajapati, Sweta | Seghal, Ishaan | Bautista, Frank | Ruel, Nora | Salgia, Meghan | Salgia, Deborah A. | Salgia, Ravi | Pal, Sumanta K.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To better characterize the relay of information about prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer on Twitter in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tweets containing the joint hashtags “#COVID-19” and either “#bladder cancer”, “#kidney cancer”, or “#prostate cancer” were identified on the Twitter platform from January 1, 2020 to July 30, 2020. The Twitter handle responsible for each tweet was categorized as an Academic, Medical Education, Patient Advocacy Groups/Non-Profits, Pharmaceutical, or Other entity based on content domain. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data on Twitter handle characteristics stratified by disease category (bladder, kidney, and prostate). …Median/interquartile range and percentages were used to summarize continuous and categorical data, respectively. Number of tweets containing the relevant joint hashtags were tracked over time in relation to the cumulative United States case count of COVID-19. RESULTS: The content of 730 total tweets containing the joint hashtags “COVID-19” and either “#bladder cancer” (138 tweets), “#kidney cancer” (137 tweets), or “#prostate cancer” (455 tweets) from January 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020 were analyzed. We identified 326 unique Twitter handles across all disease states (62 bladder, 47 kidney, and 217 prostate-related). Academic Twitter handles accounted for the greatest number of tweets containing the joint hashtags (31%). Temporal tracking of tweets with regard to monthly U.S. COVID cases revealed that communication surged in March of 2020 and peaked in April for both bladder and kidney cancer, whereas related prostate cancer Twitter communication peaked in May of 2020. CONCLUSIONS: As COVID-19 case counts rose in the United States initially, so too did communication surrounding COVID-19 and genitourinary cancers on Twitter. Many of these conversations were driven by academically-associated Twitter accounts. Show more

Keywords: Bladder cancer, COVID-19, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, Twitter

DOI: 10.3233/KCA-210115

Citation: Kidney Cancer, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 73-78, 2021

Authors: Dias Carneiro, André Paternò Castello | Marques Monteiro, Fernando Sabino | Soares, Andrey

Article Type: Systematic Review

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Genomic features linked to prediction of response to immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) are still lacking. Protein polybromo-1 (PBRM1) mutations have been studied as a potential biomarker of clinical benefit, with conflicting published data so far. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This systematic review was guided by the standards of the PRISMA statement to identify studies involving mRCC, immunotherapy and mutations in PBRM1. The main objective was to assess the relationship between PBRM1 mutations and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with mRCC. RESULTS: After an initial search that identified 422 studies, 8 …studies met the eligibility criteria and were selected for the final analysis. Data are included from 2 trials in the first-line treatment setting, and 6 trials in second- or later treatment lines evaluating the relationship between the presence of PBRM1 mutations and clinical benefit (CB) with ICI treatment. Regarding the first-line treatment setting, the analysis of both studies failed to show any CB in patients with PBRM1 mutations treated with ICI. However, for the second- and later treatment lines, the results were mixed. CONCLUSIONS: PBRM1 mutations may be a potential genomic biomarker to predict response to ICI treatment in patients with mRCC, mainly in second- and later treatment lines, but the existence of conflicting data in the literature highlights an important bias in the studies and the need for additional clinical validation in large, prospective trials. Show more

Keywords: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), immunotherapy, clinical benefit, PBRM1

DOI: 10.3233/KCA-210111

Citation: Kidney Cancer, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 79-92, 2021

Authors: Bersanelli, Melissa | Porta, Camillo

Article Type: Systematic Review

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still has a huge impact on the management of many chronic diseases such as cancer. Few data are presently available reagarding how the management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has changed due to this unprecedented situation. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the challenges and issues of the diagnosis and treatment of RCC in the COVID-19 era, and to provide recommendations based on the collected literature and our personal experience. METHODS: Systematic review of the available Literature regarding the management of RCC during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. RESULTS: Our review showed a prevalence of …narrative publications, raising the issue of the real relevance of the evidence retrieved. Indeed, the only original data about RCC and COVID-19 found were a small retrospective case series and two surveys, providing either patients’ or physicians’ viewpoints. CONCLUSIONS: The expected delayed diagnosis of RCC could lead to an increase of advanced/metastatic cases; thus, proper therapeutic choices for patients with small renal masses should be carefully evaluated case by case, in order to avoid negative effects on long-term survival rates. The controversial interaction between immune checkpoint blockade and COVID-19 pathogenesis is more hypothetical than evidence-based, and thus immunotherapy should not be denied, whenever appropriate. To avoid treatments which won’t have an impact on patients’ survival, a honest and accurate evaluation of the cost/benefit ratio of each treatment option should be always performed. Finally, SARS-CoV-2 swab positivity should not prevent the continuation of ongoing active treatments in asymptomatic cases, or or after symptoms’ resolution. Show more

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, COVID-19, renal cell carcinoma, diagnosis, treatment

DOI: 10.3233/KCA-210112

Citation: Kidney Cancer, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 93-106, 2021

Authors: Petrinec, Benjamin | Vargas, Bryan Morales | Harik, Lara R. | Master, Viraj A.

Article Type: Case Report

Abstract: We report a case of an isolated para-aortic retroperitoneal renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the absence of a primary cancer in the kidney. Single case reports in the literature have described extra-renal RCC in different locations with no evidence of primary renal tumor. We present the initial presentation, diagnostic imaging, surgical treatment, and pathologic evaluation. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated positivity for TFE3 and TFEB, both of which are Microphthalmia associated transcription factors (MiT) associated with translocation RCCs. We hypothesize these few cases of extra-renal RCC represent rare forms of translocation RCC.

Keywords: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), extra-renal RCC, Microphthalmia associated transcription factors (MiTCase)

DOI: 10.3233/KCA-200102

Citation: Kidney Cancer, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 107-112, 2021

Authors: Parikh, Mamta

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/KCA-210000

Citation: Kidney Cancer, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 113-114, 2021