Looking Ahead in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Integrating New Agents in the Armamentarium of the Urologist

Urologists play a pivotal role in many aspects of the care of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, until recently, in some European countries, they have rarely been involved in the systemic treatment of this disease or in the design of clinical trials. This is undoubtedly set to change with the emergence of new oral, molecularly targeted therapies for RCC. Sorafenib (Nexavar®; Bayer Healthcare, West Haven, CT, USA) is one such therapy, which has already been shown to be efficacious and well tolerated for the treatment of RCC. Although targeted agents show great promise for the treatment of RCC, their precise role in the treatment of metastatic disease, and in adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings has yet to be defined. Drawing from their extensive experience of RCC, urologists will be instrumental in the design and application of clinical studies to define the role of targeted therapies in all settings of RCC and, ultimately, to integrate targeted therapies into clinical practice. Through increased understanding of the molecular pathways involved in RCC, research into diagnostic and prognostic markers, and commitment to clinical trials, urologists can be at the forefront of this progress.