Multi-disciplinary management for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the ear of targeted therapy: a single center experience

Objective To report the experience on the multi-disciplinary management of metastatic renal cell (mRCC) patients in a single center. Methods Data of 168 mRCC patients treated by multi-disciplinary team (MDT) at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from December 2007 to February 2019 was retrospectively analyzed.Three treatment groups were identified, including 76 patients with 55 males and 21 females, received anti-angiogenic agents alone (Group A), 66 patients with 55 males and 11 males, received anti-angiogenic agents plus local therapy (Group B)and 26 patients, with 19 males and 7 females, received anti-angiogenic agents plus immunotherapy and local therapy (Group C). The Sunitinib, Sorafenib, Axitinib were chosen for the TKI. The Pembrolizumab was used for immunotherapy. The stereotactic body radiation therapy and surgical excision were considered as the local therapy. The study aims to compare the age, gender, IMDC score, pathology, nbephrectomy, adverse events, progression-free survival and overall survival (OS). Results Of all patients, the median follow-up duration was 23 months (ranging 6-117 cmonths). The PFS was 18.3 months and median OS was 33.5 months. The 2 years and 5 years survival rate was 66% and 35%, respectively. The median OS of Group A, B and C were 29.8 months, 44.6 months and not reached. 2y-OS was 58%, 67% and 89%, while 5y-OS 12%, 46% and 57%.There was no difference in age, gender, IMDC score, pathology, synchronous metastases or nephterectomy between the three groups. The prognostic result in TKI based combination therapy was superior to TKI therapy alone, which the 5y-OS was 51% and 11%, respectively. The prognostic result in group C's moderate-high risk mRCC patients was superior to group A and B. The median OS in TKI+ DC and CIK+ Pembrolizumab was 49.1 months and 53.1 months. On univariate analyses, IMDC score, nephrectomy and treatment group was associated with OS (P<0.05). On multivariate analyses, treatment group, nephrectomy was associated with OS (P<0.05). The risk of death of Group C decreased about 60% [HR 0.39 (0.17, 0.89), P=0.026]. 78 (46.4%) patients on TKI alone and 16 (61.5%) patients treated with TKI plus immunotherapy had Grade 3 or 4 adverse events. 16 (20.3%) patients had Clavien Ⅲ-Ⅳ toxicity after surgical procedures. 6 (5.7%) patients had Grade 3 toxiciy after SBRT. Conclusions Patients treated with combined therapy had better survival than those treated with anti-angiogenic agents alone. MDT approach could bring survival benefit to mRCC patients. Key words: Carcinoma, renal cell; Metastatic renal cell carcinoma; Anti-angiogenic therapy; Immunotherapy; Local therapy; Multi-disciplinary treatment