Carcinoma, Renal Cell
Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this disease.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC).
Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Review.
Saturation genome editing maps the functional spectrum of pathogenic VHL alleles.
Geographic variation of mutagenic exposures in kidney cancer genomes.
What's happening now
An analyst briefing on current research, clinical, regulatory and industry activity surrounding this disease.
- 4 clinical trials expected to report results, the earliest in Q4 2026.
- Active recent publication activity, including 2 notable findings.
- Q4 2026A Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Belzutifan (MK-6482) Plus Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Placebo Plus Pembrolizumab in the Adjuvant Treatment of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) Post Nephrectomy (MK-6482-022)
- Q2 2027An Open-label, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Belzutifan (MK-6482) and Lenvatinib (MK-7902), or MK-1308A in Combination With Lenvatinib, Versus Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib, as First-Line Treatment in Participants With Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC)
- Q4 2027A Phase 2a Study to Type I-Polarized Autologous Dendritic Cell Vaccines Incorporating Tumor Blood Vessel Antigen (TBVA)-Derived Peptides in Combination With Cabozantinib in Patients With Localized Clear Cell Renal Cancer.
- Q4 2030A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Study of Belzutifan + Zanzalintinib Versus Belzutifan + Placebo in Participants With Advanced RCC Who Have Progressed on or After Both PD-1/L1 and VEGF-TKI Therapies in Sequence or in Combination (LITESPARK-034)
Research HighlightsViewHide
- 2026-01-28Fecal microbiota transplantation plus immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: the phase 1 PERFORM trial.Fernandes R · 2026
- 2026-01-28Fecal microbiota transplantation plus pembrolizumab and axitinib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: the randomized phase 2 TACITO trial.Porcari S · 2026
Clinical MilestonesViewHide
- 2026-09-03A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Study of Belzutifan + Zanzalintinib Versus Belzutifan + Placebo in Participants With Advanced RCC Who Have Progressed on or After Both PD-1/L1 and VEGF-TKI Therapies in Sequence or in Combination (LITESPARK-034)Results expected Q4 2030
- 2026-07-07A Phase 2a Study to Type I-Polarized Autologous Dendritic Cell Vaccines Incorporating Tumor Blood Vessel Antigen (TBVA)-Derived Peptides in Combination With Cabozantinib in Patients With Localized Clear Cell Renal Cancer.Results expected Q4 2027
- 2026-05-15A Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Belzutifan (MK-6482) Plus Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Placebo Plus Pembrolizumab in the Adjuvant Treatment of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) Post Nephrectomy (MK-6482-022)Results expected Q4 2026
- 2025-11-10An Open-label, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Belzutifan (MK-6482) and Lenvatinib (MK-7902), or MK-1308A in Combination With Lenvatinib, Versus Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib, as First-Line Treatment in Participants With Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC)Results expected Q2 2027
- 2026-02-04An Open-label, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Belzutifan (MK-6482) and Lenvatinib (MK-7902), or MK-1308A in Combination With Lenvatinib, Versus Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib, as First-Line Treatment in Participants With Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC)Primary completion
- 2026-02-02An Open-label, Randomized, Phase 3 Study of MK-6482 in Combination With Lenvatinib (MK-7902) vs Cabozantinib in Participants With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Who Have Progressed After Prior Anti-PD-1/L1 TherapyPrimary completion
- 2026-09-03ClinicalA Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Study of Belzutifan + Zanzalintinib Versus Belzutifan + Placebo in Participants With Advanced RCC Who Have Progressed on or After Both PD-1/L1 and VEGF-TKI Therapies in Sequence or in Combination (LITESPARK-034)Results expected Q4 2030
- 2026-07-07ClinicalA Phase 2a Study to Type I-Polarized Autologous Dendritic Cell Vaccines Incorporating Tumor Blood Vessel Antigen (TBVA)-Derived Peptides in Combination With Cabozantinib in Patients With Localized Clear Cell Renal Cancer.Results expected Q4 2027
- 2026-05-15ClinicalA Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Belzutifan (MK-6482) Plus Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Placebo Plus Pembrolizumab in the Adjuvant Treatment of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) Post Nephrectomy (MK-6482-022)Results expected Q4 2026
- 2026-02-04ClinicalAn Open-label, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Belzutifan (MK-6482) and Lenvatinib (MK-7902), or MK-1308A in Combination With Lenvatinib, Versus Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib, as First-Line Treatment in Participants With Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC)Primary completion
- 2026-02-02ClinicalAn Open-label, Randomized, Phase 3 Study of MK-6482 in Combination With Lenvatinib (MK-7902) vs Cabozantinib in Participants With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Who Have Progressed After Prior Anti-PD-1/L1 TherapyPrimary completion
- 2026-01-28ResearchFecal microbiota transplantation plus immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: the phase 1 PERFORM trial.Fernandes R · 2026
- 2026-01-28ResearchFecal microbiota transplantation plus pembrolizumab and axitinib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: the randomized phase 2 TACITO trial.Porcari S · 2026
- 2025-11-10ClinicalAn Open-label, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Belzutifan (MK-6482) and Lenvatinib (MK-7902), or MK-1308A in Combination With Lenvatinib, Versus Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib, as First-Line Treatment in Participants With Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC)Results expected Q2 2027
Therapeutic landscape
Therapies with a regulatory footing for this condition, alongside the wider set of agents co-studied with it in the literature.
Approval — Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) Welireg is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adul… (2025)
Approval — Axitinib Accord is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell… (2024)
Approval — Hepatocellular carcinomaSorafenib Accord is indicated for the treatment of hepatocellular… (2022)
Approval — Gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) Sunitinib Accord is indicated for the treatment of… (2021)
Approval — Aybintio in combination with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy is indicated for treatme… (2020)
Approval — Bavencio is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic… (2017)
Approval — Fotivda is indicated for the first line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal c… (2017)
Accelerated approval — Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) Cabometyx is indicated as monotherapy for advanced renal cell… (2016)
Clinical trials
The current development programme across all trial phases.
Regulatory timeline
Drug regulatory events matched to this condition by indication — EMA.
European Medicines Agency (CC BY 4.0). Events are matched to this condition by drug indication text — approvals/updates for drugs indicated for it, not disease-specific acts.
Research activity
Key research shaping understanding of this disease, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.
Major themes8
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell25
- Kidney Neoplasms25
- Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols3
- Lung Neoplasms3
- Melanoma3
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung2
- Fecal Microbiota Transplantation2
- Immunotherapy2
Leading journals6
- The New England journal of medicine11
- Journal for immunotherapy of cancer3
- Nature medicine3
- Cancer treatment reviews2
- International journal of molecular sciences2
- Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology2
Leading researchers8
- Choueiri TK13
- Motzer RJ11
- Powles T7
- Rini BI7
- Tannir NM7
- Donskov F6
- Escudier B6
- Gurney H6
Affiliations (unnormalised)6
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute7
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center6
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center5
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center4
- Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology3
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center3
Associated genes
Genes associated with this disease in the canonical knowledge graph (Open Targets evidence). Number shows the association score.
Disease biology
Proteins whose encoding gene is associated with this disease, reached through the canonical gene→disease graph. Number shows the gene's association score.
Related conditions
Diseases frequently studied alongside this one. Number shows shared papers.
Disease profile
A grounded synthesis of the condition — overview, causes, mechanism, risk factors and current standard of care.
Renal cell carcinoma is a heterogeneous group of kidney cancers that can arise sporadically or in hereditary settings. It includes several histologic subtypes, such as clear cell, papillary, chromophobe, collecting duct, sarcomatoid, and mixed cell-type carcinoma.
The grounding supports a hereditary component in some cases and a sporadic origin in others. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is commonly associated with inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor gene.
The disease is biologically heterogeneous, with subtype-specific mechanisms. In clear cell renal cell carcinoma, VHL inactivation is linked to angiogenesis and immune escape, and the tumor microenvironment contributes to immune suppression. Reported resistance and progression mechanisms include disruption of hypoxia pathways, activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, and increased expression of alternative proangiogenic factors.
The supplied grounding does not support specific patient-level risk factors for renal cell carcinoma beyond hereditary predisposition in some cases. Tumor histology and risk stratification are used to guide treatment selection, but these are not presented as causes of disease risk.
Localized disease is generally treated with surgical resection. Relapsed or stage IV renal cell carcinoma is typically managed with surgery and/or systemic therapy, with treatment selection guided by histology and risk group. Systemic therapy classes described in the grounding include tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, including combinations of anti-angiogenic agents with immunotherapy.
AI-generated summary grounded in MeSH and 6 peer-reviewed sources. Informational only — not medical advice. Generated 2026-07-07.
Reference
Authoritative identity, definition & identifiers.
A heterogeneous group of sporadic or hereditary carcinoma derived from cells of the KIDNEYS. There are several subtypes including the clear cells, the papillary, the chromophobe, the collecting duct, the spindle cells (sarcomatoid), or mixed cell-type carcinoma.
- Disease identity & definition — NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), public domain
- Clinical trials — ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
- Research activity — Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) + OpenAlex-derived paper links
- Related entities are derived from literature co-mention (studied together) — associative, not causal.