Experience of using 1^st line combination immunotherapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

The study objective is to evaluate effectiveness and tolerability of 1st line combination immuno-oncological therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in clinical practice.

Materials and methods. The study included 38 patients with mRCC who received combination immunotherapy between July of 2019 and September of 2021. Median follow-up duration was 8 (2-25) months. Mean age of the patients was 58.3 (20-85) years. Previously 22 (57.9 %) patients underwent surgical treatment. Unfavorable physical status 2-3 per the ECOG scale was observed in 10 (26.3 %) patients. Clear-cell type of renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 34 (89.6 %) patients, non-clear-cell types in 4 (10.4 %). Sarcomatoid component in the tumor was detected in 8 (21.0 %) patients. G3-4 mRCC variant was verified in 16 (42.1 %) patients. Poor prognosis per the IMDC (International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium) scale was identified in 16 (42.1 %) patients, intermediate -in 20 (52.6 %) patients. All 4 administrations of combination immunotherapy were received by 29 (76.3 %) patients.

Results. For median follow-up duration of 8 (2-25) months, 23 (60.5 %) patients continue treatment, 15 (39.5 %) completed therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab due to various reasons including progression in 11 (28.9 %), death in 2 (5.3 %), intolerable toxicity in 2 (5.3 %) cases. Median duration of combination immunotherapy was 9 (2-24) months. Subsequent antitumor therapy was administered to 3 (7.9 %) patients. During induction course immune-mediated adverse event (grade III-IV hepatitis) developed in 3 (7.9 %) patients. Adverse events were observed in 81.6 % of patients, including grade III-IV in 23.7 % of patients. Objective response was observed in 44.8 % of cases, complete response in 5.3 % of cases, partial response in 39.5 % of cases; controlled disease was achieved in 84.3 % of patients. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 8 months.

Conclusion. In our study despite large number of patients with poor prognosis and poorly differentiated tumors, 64.0 % of patients are alive and 60.5 % of patients continue treatment without disease progression after 18 months of combination immunotherapy. Progression-free survival was significantly affected by sarcomatoid component in the tumor, number of unfavorable factors per the IMDC scale, best response per RECIST 1.1; overall survival was significantly affected by sarcomatoid component in the tumor, sum of measurable lesions, number of unfavorable factors per the IMDC scale, best response per RECIST 1.1, and presence of symptomatic metastases in the brain.

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