Treatment options for advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma have advanced considerably in the past decade with the approval of several targeted agents, including axitinib. Axitinib is a potent and selective inhibitor of VEGFRs 1-3, and is well established as second-line treatment. This article summarizes factors to be considered when administering axitinib, such as individualized dose titration and axitinib-associated adverse events, in order to retain patients longer on treatment, which would likely lead to improved efficacy outcomes. In addition, potential clinical perspectives for axitinib beyond the second-line setting, including its role in the first-line setting, sequential therapy, neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies, and combination therapy with immunotherapy, in particular, immune checkpoint inhibitors, are discussed.
Future oncology (London, England). 2017 Jul 14 [Epub ahead of print]
Yoshiko Umeyama, Yoshiyuki Shibasaki, Hideyuki Akaza
Pfizer Japan Inc., 3-22-7 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8589, Japan., Strategic Investigation on Comprehensive Cancer Network, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies/Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan.