Efficacy of fourth-line targeted therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a retrospective analysis

Introduction

Evidence for sequencing targeted therapy (TT) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) beyond third line is limited. Treatment decisions for these sequence options are largely based on individual preferences and experience. The aim of this study was to describe the efficacy and toxicity of fourth-line TT.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients treated with fourth-line TT for mRCC after failure of previous treatment lines at a German academic high-volume center. Out of 406 patients treated in first line, 56 patients (14.8 %) were identified with more than three lines of TT. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to explore predictors of PFS and OS in uni- and multivariable analysis.

Results

For the fourth-line treatment, disease control rate was 35.7 %. Median OS from beginning of first-line therapy was 47.4 months (IQR 31.0–76.5). Primary resistance at first-line TT, metastatic disease at initial diagnosis and an intermediate MSKCC score were independent predictors of shorter OS from start of first-line TT. Median OS from the time of initiation of fourth-line therapy was 10.5 months (IQR 5.6–22.6). The corresponding median PFS for fourth-line TT was 3.2 months (IQR 1.6–8.0) and was not correlated with treatment response in first-line TT. The rate of toxicity-induced treatment termination was 16.1 %. Limitations are the retrospective and unicentric design with a limited number of patients.

Conclusions

Patients might benefit from subsequent treatment lines independently from treatment response in first line.