Dr Karie Runcie speaks to ecancer about the Cyto-KIK trial.

In this trial, cabozantinib plus nivolumab given before and after cytoreductive nephrectomy demonstrated encouraging activity in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC).

Among treated patients, the overall response rate reached 50% post-surgery, including complete responses in 9%, with additional near-complete pathological responses observed.

Neoadjuvant therapy led to meaningful tumour shrinkage and was safe and feasible, with low rates of significant surgical complications and no new safety signals.

Dr Runcie says that these findings support the strategy of delivering immunotherapy and targeted therapy prior to nephrectomy to potentially enhance anti-tumour immune responses and improve outcomes in high-risk metastatic RCC.