Evaluation of Treatment Response in Patients with Locally Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Following Previous Systemic Therapy
By
Konstantin E. Seifert
Hendrik Dinkel
Linda Huberth
Dorothee Tiedje
Jan Gröticke
Laura-Maria Krabbe
Frederike Tepel
Kambiz Rahbar
Christof Bernemann
Andres J. Schrader
Martin Bögemann
Martin Janssen
Katrin Schlack
Barbara Heitplatz
January 16, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Evaluation of Treatment Response in Patients with Locally Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Following Previous Systemic Therapy
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Locally Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) Key Mechanisms Systemic therapy including checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) and tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKI) prior to surgical intervention. Target Population Patients with locally advanced RCC not suitable for immediate surgery. Care Setting Single center, University Hospital Muenster, Germany.
Key Highlights
Neoadjuvant therapy resulted in tumor size reduction of 13-20%. Median residual viable tumor cells post-therapy was 50%. Nearly half of patients showed downstaging in T-stage after systemic therapy. Surgical feasibility improved with neoadjuvant therapy. No significant benefit from adjuvant therapies in prior trials. Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Tumor biopsy prior to systemic treatment. Clinical and radiological assessments for tumor staging. Management
Systemic treatments include TKI, TKI + CPI, or CPI + CPI for at least one month before surgery. Monitoring & Follow-up
Regular clinical and radiological assessments during therapy. Risks
Postoperative complications assessed using Clavien-Dindo classification. Patient & Prescribing Data
17 patients with locally advanced RCC, mean age 65 years.
Most patients had clear cell histology; systemic therapy was administered prior to surgical resection.
Clinical Best Practices
Conduct interdisciplinary tumor board reviews for treatment planning. Utilize imaging to assess tumor size and response to therapy. Ensure informed consent is obtained prior to treatment initiation. References
