Adjuvant Pembrolizumab after Nephrectomy in Renal-Cell Carcinoma
RCT (n=994) found pembrolizumab linked to significantly longer disease-free survival than placebo (at 24 months, 77.3% vs. 68.1%; HR for recurrence or death, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.87; p=0.002) among patients with kidney cancer who were at high risk for recurrence.
Source:
New England Journal of Medicine
SPS commentary:
According to an editorial, the KEYNOTE-564 study will alter the adjuvant treatment landscape of renal-cell carcinoma as a positive phase 3 trial of adjuvant immunotherapy in this disease. It notes the prolongation of disease-free survival represents a clear clinical benefit, given the magnitude of the increase and the limited incidence of toxic effects. It adds that the adoption of adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors brings along new questions regarding patient selection, therapeutic use in patients with non–clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma, and systemic treatment after recurrence during or after the receipt of adjuvant therapy.