Purpose of review: This review is intended to provide information on recent advancements in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treatments as well as give insight on present-day clinical and molecularly based biomarker studies.
Recent findings: A review of recent literature regarding RCC epidemiology and clinical prognostic factors will be provided. Information from the latest molecularly based biomarker studies will be discussed. Finally, updates on recent additions to front-line therapy for RCC and the early clinical evidence examining the use of targeted agents sequentially or in combination will be given.
Summary: Changes in the treatment paradigm of advanced RCC continue to evolve with additional novel agents in the horizon. This review will provide an update of the latest concepts in the epidemiology, molecularly based biomarker development and the management of patients with advanced RCC.