The Oncologist's View: Targeted Therapies in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

Multitargeted therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, represent a significant advance in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The clinical benefits of multitargeted agents compared with conventional cytokine therapy have been widely reported. As with other anticancer agents, these newer treatments are associated with side-effects, although the multitargeted agents appear to have a far more favourable safety profile than that of cytokine therapy. Most adverse events (AEs) associated with multitargeted agents are reported as grade 1 or 2 in severity and can be managed appropriately. Nonetheless, efficacy, safety, and the management of AEs must be balanced to ensure that patients receive optimum care and that the duration of therapy can be maintained for an appropriate period. In this review, important factors for consideration in selecting a therapeutic agent are discussed. The role of patient education with regard to reporting AEs, as well as regimen compliance, are of utmost importance and are highlighted here.