What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 83 patients with kidney cancer. The study was sponsored by National Cancer Institute and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was initial testing (phase 2). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
72% tumor response rate in inherited HLRCC papillary kidney cancer.
New England Journal of Medicine · 2025 · NCT01130519
These findings — that in inherited HLRCC papillary kidney cancer treated with bevacizumab plus erlotinib — were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 83 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with kidney cancer, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Both bevacizumab and erlotinib are FDA-approved for other cancers and available now, though this combination is used off-label for HLRCC papillary kidney cancer. The National Cancer Institute considers it a reasonable option for HLRCC. Ask an oncologist familiar with hereditary kidney cancer for genetic testing and treatment options.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open kidney cancer trials
KO-2806 Monotherapy and Combination Therapies in Advanced Solid Tumors
This first-in-human (FIH) dose-escalation and dose-validation/expansion study will assess KO-2806, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI), as a monotherapy and in combination, in adult patients with advanced solid tumors.
Testing the Addition of MEDI4736 (Durvalumab) to Chemotherapy Before Surgery for Patients With High-Grade Upper Urinary Tract Cancer
This phase II/III trial compares the effect of adding durvalumab to chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone before surgery in treating patients with upper urinary tract cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as durvalumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs, such as methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, cisplatin, and gemcitabine work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Durvalumab in combination with chemotherapy before surgery may enhance the shrinking of the tumor compared to chemotherapy alone.