Expert Highlights ‘Exciting’ RCC Presentations From 2023 KCRS

In an interview with CancerNetwork^®, Rana R. McKay, MD, expressed her excitement on two presentations on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) that were given at the 2023 Kidney Cancer Research Summit (KCRS).

The first presentation detailed distinct metabolic properties of cell subsets within the clear cell RCC tumor microenvironment that are hypothesized to produce tumor metabolic heterogeneity as detected through PET imaging.¹ Moreover, the presentation described how clear cell RCC genetic alterations may influence the metabolism of non-cancer cells in the tumor space, and that engaging tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) may affect responses to immunotherapy.

McKay, a board-certified medical oncologist and associate professor of the Department of Medicine at University of California, San Diego Health, also highlighted her interest in another presentation on drug design and therapeutic approaches in RCC.²

Transcript:

[There is] a lot of really exciting work. I have to say the presentation by Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, MMHC about the metabolomics of [RCC], and the role that TAMs play within the tumor microenvironment was really intriguing. The reason why I thought that talk was very provocative was [because] there’s a potential for utilizing PET imaging for thinking about potentially identifying a cohort of patients who may potentially be primed to respond to immunotherapy.

I thought [the talk by] William Kaelin, MD, was spectacular. It really simplified the therapeutic approach and strategy to drug design and development in RCC and even in cancer in general. It was very overarching in nature and provided some context as we’re designing the next series of studies and the next combinations, these key principles of oncology to keep in mind.

References

1. Rathmell JC, Rathmell WK. Metabolic demands and determinants in the RCC tumor microenvironment. Presented at: 2023 Kidney Cancer Research Summit; July 13-14, 2023; Boston, MA. Abstract 24.
2. Kaelin Jr. WG. New direction in basic kidney cancer research. Presented at: 2023 Kidney Cancer Research Summit; July 13-14, 2023; Boston, MA.