Kidney cancer therapy: new perspectives and avenues.

Immunotherapy with interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha has been the only viable option in metastatic renal cell cancer for almost two decades. In the last several years, significant advances in the understanding of the underlying biological and molecular mechanisms of renal cell carcinoma, particularly the role of tumour angiogenesis, have led to the identification of rational therapeutic targets and permitted the design of molecularly targeted therapeutics. At present, new compounds targeting specific signalling pathways are available and have successfully passed clinical testing. The use of small molecules, such as multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, the mTOR inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, is dramatically changing the existing concepts of systemic treatment for metastatic kidney cancer.