Nivolumab for adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment of localised renal cell carcinoma

Nivolumab is in clinical development for the adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment of adults with localised renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who are undergoing surgical removal of a kidney. RCC is a common form of kidney cancer caused by the growth of a tumour in the cells lining the inside of small vessels in the kidney, known as nephrons. Localised RCC occurs when the tumour has not spread beyond the kidney to other areas of the body. RCC often does not present symptoms at early stages. The current standard treatment for localised RCC is for patients to undergo partial or full surgical removal of a kidney; and the aim of adjuvant treatment (treatment following a surgical procedure) is to reduce the number of people whose disease relapses. Neoadjuvant treatment is given before a surgical procedure and aims to shrink the tumour as much as possible before removal and further therapy. There are currently no medicinal products recommended for adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment of localised RCC.