Seminars in oncology
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Seminars in oncology · Dec 2009
ReviewClinical trial experience with temsirolimus in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.
Clinical trials have validated the importance of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) as a therapeutic target in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The TORC1 complex controls translation of key proteins involved in cell proliferation and regulates the expression and stability of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha. Temsirolimus, the first mTOR inhibitor approved for treatment of advanced RCC, has demonstrated significantly longer overall survival (hazard ratio for death, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.92, P = .008) and progression-free survival (P <.001) compared with interferon alfa (IFN) for patients with poor prognostic features. ⋯ Although development of symptomatic pneumonitis is rare, monitoring is recommended. Temsirolimus is now considered an important first-line treatment option for patients with advanced RCC and multiple factors predictive of short survival. Current trials are investigating the use of temsirolimus in sequence or in combination with other targeted agents to further improve outcomes.