Der Urologe. Ausg. A
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Current pivotal phase 3 studies have permanently changed the first-line treatment landscape in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. These studies showed that immune checkpoint combinations were more efficacious than sunitinib, a previous standard of care. Nivolumab plus ipilimumab is characterized by a survival advantage, a high rate of complete response and durable remission in patients with intermediate and unfavorable prognosis. ⋯ The quality-of-life data published so far do not suggest any improvement compared to the previous standard sunitinib. The PD-1/PD-L1 immune-check-point inhibitors thus form the "backbone" of the first-line therapy of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Monotherapy with VEGFR-TKI remains an option in cases with contraindications and possibly for subgroups with favorable prognosis.