Kidney Cancer Awareness Month: 2022 Immunotherapy Research Updates

Progress in kidney cancer is made possible by individuals: scientists in the lab, doctors in the clinic, patient volunteers in clinical trials–and the donors who support their research. 

Let’s meet a scientist: Marcin Piotr Cieslik, PhD, of the University of Michigan, has recently contributed to studies on prognostic biomarkers for kidney cancer (European Urology Oncology) and on kidney cancer development and response to immunotherapy treatments (PNAS). With his CRI Tech Impact Award, Dr. Cieslik is using T cell receptor repertoire profiling to characterize anti-tumor immune responses within tissues and, for the first time, to identify individual T cells by the cancer-associated protein they target as well as their physical location with the tumor. This approach could provide the groundwork for more effective immunotherapies in all cancers. 

This March for Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, discover patient perspectives, clinical trials, and progress for a future immune to kidney cancer.

Kidney Cancer Patient Story

Surprised with a diagnosis of kidney cancer, Mike turned to his family for guidance and support and enrolled in a combination immunotherapy clinical trial. 

Kidney Cancer Patient Perspectives

At the CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit last October, Mike discussed his diagnosis and treatment journey with fellow immunotherapy patients in a special session. Follow their advice to become an empowered self-advocate.

Kidney Cancer Researcher

Craig L. Slingluff Jr., MD, is one of the two study chairs of a CRI-funded clinical trial examining combinations of two checkpoint immunotherapies, plus an immune-stimulating adjuvant, in a wide variety of cancers, including kidney cancer.

Learn About Craig's Clinical Research

Immunotherapy for Kidney Cancer Info Update

In August 2021, the U.S. FDA approved pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib as first-line treatment for adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, and the European Commision made the same approval later that year. In November, the FDA approved pembrolizumab following surgery for a subset of patients with renal cell carcinoma, including at an early-stage. As the research and treatment landscape evolves, we keep our information up to date. 

READ Kidney Cancer UPDATE

Find a Kidney Cancer Clinical Trial

A variety of new and promising cancer immunotherapy treatments are only available to patients in clinical trials. Help speed the development of potentially lifesaving drugs. Discover trials for which you or a loved one may be eligible with the CRI Immunotherapy Clinical Trial Finder.

FIND A Cancer Clinical TRIAL

Support Kidney Cancer Research

Investment in basic immunological research can lead to unexpected breakthroughs. Former CRI Fellow Sergio Quezada, PhD, now at University College London, recently co-led a study published in Cancer Cell that found immune cell patterns within tumors that can help predict if patients with kidney cancer will respond to immunotherapy. This Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, support lifesaving cancer immunotherapy research. 

DONATE to Kidney Cancer Research