Health News | New Clinical Trial at a US University Finds New Way to Treat Kidney Cancer

Dallas (Texas) [US], August 21 (ANI): There are many different types of kidney cancer, and they can manifest with a few small metastases or many large ones. Today, though, every patient receives the same care. All of them are given medication.

Researchers present the findings of a clinical trial investigating the use of stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SAbR) for patients with a small number of metastases, or so-called oligometastatic disease, building on groundbreaking work at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The investigation serves as the initial clinical test for people with untreated oligometastatic kidney cancer.

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For these patients, there has never been a clinical trial. It is unclear whether these patients need to undergo surgery, medication, or another type of treatment. The lead author of the study along with Robert Timmerman, M.D., Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology, and James Brugarolas, M.D., PhD, Professor of Internal Medicine/Hematology-Oncology and Director of the Kidney Cancer Program, is Raquibul Hannan, M.D., PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Immunology, and Urology; Chief of the Genitourinary Radiation Oncology.

According to the World Health Organization, kidney cancer accounts for more than 430,000 new cases worldwide each year and nearly 180,000 fatalities. The metastatic disease affects about 40% of patients. Typically, immunotherapy agents or targeted drugs--which are the toxic and lower quality of life--are used to treat metastatic kidney cancer. Until patients have exhausted all of their treatment options, the disease progresses for the majority of patients, necessitating a change in regimen. When metastatic, the majority of patients eventually pass away from the illness, and the cancer medications reduce the value of their remaining time.

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At UT Southwestern and the associated county hospital, Parkland Health, 23 kidney cancer patients with oligometastases (up to five metastases) were enrolled in a phase 2 clinical trial to test SAbR, a therapy that targets tumours with strong, focused radiation beams. When the disease was first diagnosed and while it was still oligometastatic, patients received SAbR to metastatic tumours. 57 metastases in total were treated. The main objective was to successfully treat at least 60% of patients with metastatic cancer within a year. The study was successful because, after one year without systemic therapy, more than 90% of patients had disease control.

According to Dr Hannan, the majority of patients should avoid systemic therapy for at least two years.

No patient reported any severe side effects, and regular questionnaires revealed no degradation in the quality of life.

The National Cancer Institute has given the go-ahead for a sizable phase 3 randomized clinical trial evaluating SAbR for oligometastatic kidney cancer, which will be directed by Dr Hannan.

According to Dr Brugarolas, "if successful, this phase 3 trial will establish a standard of care for patients with oligometastatic kidney cancer for the first time." The treatment is intended to benefit patients by postponing progression while maintaining their quality of life. (ANI)

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