At Global Voices in Renal Oncology (VIRO) 2025, organized by OncoDaily, Dr. Sumanta Pal, Chair of the Kidney and Bladder Cancer Disease Team at City of Hope, delivered an in-depth presentation on “Papillary RCC: Diagnosis and Treatment.”
Dr. Pal provided a comprehensive overview of papillary RCC, emphasizing its distinct histologic subtypes and molecular drivers. Highlighting data from the PATENT study, he discussed the use of targeted therapies, including cabozantinib and MET inhibitors, which demonstrated progression-free survival advantages in patients with MET-driven disease. He further compared response rates across major U.S. centers, noting promising outcomes with cabozantinib and combination regimens such as lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab.
Dr. Pal also reviewed emerging randomized clinical trials, including STELLAR 304 and SAVETTA, the first large phase III studies in papillary and MET-altered RCC, stressing the importance of molecularly guided therapy. Beyond papillary RCC, he briefly covered other rare subtypes, including chromophobe, collecting duct, medullary, and translocation RCC, highlighting specific therapeutic strategies and published response rates, such as 35% for collecting duct carcinoma and 72% for medullary RCC with targeted combinations.
Concluding his talk, Dr. Pal emphasized the urgent need for continued clinical trial enrollment, biologically guided treatment approaches, and the use of trial finders to match patients with appropriate studies. His presentation underscored the evolving landscape of papillary RCC management and the potential for transformative outcomes through personalized therapy.
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