Other Trials For Rcc

I am new at this but my father was diagnosed with RCC about 5 years ago which had spread to the lungs and the spine.  They removed the kidney and everything seemed to shrink for the first year.  The next four years seemed to be stable until he went for his 5 year scan and check-up last week.  The drs found a new tumor and one of the other tumors had grown in size from 4 to 5 mm to over 1 cm.  Also, the other tumors had started to change colors (the drs really didn't know what that meant).  He is starting to take Sutent within the next week or so.

However, in doing research for RCC, I know there are trials using Avastin from a company called Genentech to treat advanced RCC.  The medication has already been approved in the US to treat colon cancer.  This might be another avenue to pursue.

Background: I was diagnosed with stage 3B RCC in October 2005, and had a radical right nephrectomy immediately.  My cancer was still in distant lymph nodes and on both of my adrenal glands. No other tumors or mets detected, luckily.   I went on Nexavar in Novemebr, 2005 for 3 months, but when there was progression, I moved to Sutent.  The Sutent kept things stable for 18 months, then I developed "Pleural Effusions" which is fluid build up in the lining of my left lung. We attempted a Thoracentesis to remove fluids (2 liters), but it returned so we had surgery to perform a "Pleurodesis" in early July, which seems to have worked.     

  To your question:    Since the Sutent did not stop the progression, my oncologist decided we needed to get more agressive. I am now taking a mix of  two standard Chemo drugs (Gemzar (an IV) and Xeloda (by pill)), and the Avastin (an IV), an antiangiogenesis drug.   This combination has shown some progress in other cases, and I seem to be tolerating it well enough to confinue it. I will have a CT Scan in about 6-8 weeks, and I'll let you know what effect it has had on the cancer.  I'm hoping for positive results.

D. J.

My brother was diagnosed with RCC in Feb 07.  He had the tumor and his right kidney removed in March at Sloan Kettering.  The tumor had grown into his colon (of which a portion was also removed) and attached itself to the vena cava.

Four weeks later a ct-scan revealed that a tumor had grown back where the kidney had been removed and one had continued to grow in the colon.

He is fortunate to be a participant in a clinical trial at Sloan receiving both Avastin and Sutent, simultaneuosly.  The most recent scan showed no recent growth.  We'll keep you up-to-date.

There is a trial in New York City at Mt. Sinai medical center combining stereotactic raditiaon and sutent for limited metastasis.  I know someone doing that study.  There is a similar study at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.  There are also several studies combining several different drugs like torisel+nexavar.  If you do a search at clinicaltrials.gov, you can find many of them.

In your case, you might want to think about the Mt. Sinai or Jefferson studies.  From the research I have read, they think they are on to something combining the drugs with the radiation.