What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 152 patients with kidney cancer. The study was sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) 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
Cabozantinib extended the time before cancer worsened by 60% compared to sunitinib.
Lancet (London, England) · 2021 · NCT02761057
These findings — that cabozantinib delayed cancer growth longer than sunitinib in papillary kidney cancer — were published in the Lancet (London, England) and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 152 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
Cabozantinib is FDA-approved for advanced kidney cancer based on studies like this one. If you have papillary kidney cancer that has spread, talk to your oncologist about whether cabozantinib might be right for you. This drug works differently than some older kidney cancer treatments.
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
A Study to Evaluate INCA036873 in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors and Hematological Malignancies
A study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of INCA036873 in participants with advanced solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
WIRE - Novel Treatments in Renal Cell Cancer
Evaluation of proof of mechanism with relation to ktrans and/or CD8 count when different IMPs are given as monotherapy or as combination therapy. These would be administered in the "window of opportunity", prior to nephrectomy in surgically resectable renal cell cancer