Background: Nivolumab is an important new therapy option for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, and has a different mechanism of action compared with vascular endothelial growth factor -targeted therapies. It is a programmed death 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody with response patterns, efficacy, and safety profiles that differ from those of conventional antiangiogenic or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition therapy.
Methods and purpose: This commentary discusses and evaluates the clinical experience with nivolumab from the available literature and presents practical considerations for the use of nivolumab immunotherapy in aRCC to optimize clinical management.
Keywords: Advanced renal cell carcinoma; Immune checkpoint inhibitor; Immunotherapy agents; Nivolumab; PD-1 inhibitor; Second-line therapy.
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