Racial differences in real-world outcomes of first-line therapies for advanced renal cell carcinoma

Background: Given the historical underrepresentation of racial minorities in clinical trials, little is known about racial differences in outcomes of first-line therapies for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). This study described patient characteristics and clinical outcomes of first-line therapies for aRCC, including nivolumab + ipilimumab, pembrolizumab + axitinib, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, by race in the real-world setting.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective medical chart review of patients with intermediate/poor-risk clear-cell aRCC. Treating physicians abstracted patient data from electronic medical charts.

Results: Among 346 patients with intermediate/poor-risk aRCC, a higher proportion of African-American/Black (n = 78) versus White (n = 268) patients had poorer baseline functional performance (ECOG-PS ≥ 2: 37.2% versus 21.3%). African-American/Black patients trended toward numerically lower overall response rates and shorter overall survival for nivolumab + ipilimumab or pembrolizumab + axitinib than White patients.

Conclusions: These findings provide important insights into racial differences in first-line aRCC treatment outcomes within real-world settings. Additional research with larger sample sizes is warranted.