Objectives: At present there are several drugs for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (ARCC). The main objective of this work was to perform a systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis (MA) of clinical randomized studies that compared target cell therapies (TCT).
Materials and methods: SR identified clinical randomized trials that compared TCT versus interferon-alpha in the treatment of patients with ARCC. In order to analyze efficiency, it was evaluated free-survival progression (FSP), total survival (TS) and response rate (RR).
Results: In relation to first line treatment, seven studies of TCT were identified using sunitinib, sorafenib, bevacizumab and temsirolimus; and two studies with sorafenib and everolimus for second line treatment. Relative risk (RRi) of MA for FSP of first line therapies was: 0.83, CI = 0.78-0.87, I2 = 94% and p < 0.00001. Best results of RR of specific FSP among studies were: 0.38, sunitinib, CI = 0.25-0.58, bevacizumab, 0.62, CI = 0.47-0.83; and temsirolimus, 0.78, CI = 0.70-0.87. MA didn't show any benefit regarding TS of first line treatment of all analyzed drugs. As for RR significant results were: sunitinib, 3.83 CI = 2.86-5.12; bevacizumab, 2.52 CI = 1.78-3.57 and bevacizumab, 1.97 CI = 1.43-2.71.
Conclusions: For first line treatment, sunitinib was the most effective TCT in relation to FPS; there was no alteration of TS and RR was small but significant for sunitinib and bevacizumab. Available studies could not conclude any results for second line treatments.