Novel agents for the treatment of advanced kidney cancer.

Advanced kidney cancer accounts for over 12,000 deaths in the United States each year. Immunotherapy, typically interleukin-2 or interferon-alpha, have been the mainstay of treatment. Response rates are low for these immune-based treatments, and most patients with advanced kidney cancer succumb to their disease. There are several novel agents currently in clinical trials that show promise in this refractory disease. These compounds include antiangiogenic agents, raf kinase pathway inhibitors, and novel antimicrotubule agents. This review discusses some of the agents currently being explored for the treatment of advanced kidney cancer.