Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41739194›Full record

ArticleCancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII2026

Pattern of disease recurrence and outcomes after progression of high-risk renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients treated with adjuvant immunotherapy.

Chiara Ciccarese, Denis Occhipinti, Daniela Arduini, Davide Di Leo, Alessio Neri, Luigi Roca, Gloria Messina, Paola Troisi, Romina Rose Pedone, Maria Antonia Fucile and 10 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Chiara Ciccarese *Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. chiara.ciccarese@policlinicogemelli.it.
Denis Occhipinti *Department of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Daniela ArduiniDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Davide Di LeoDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Alessio NeriDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Luigi RocaDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Gloria MessinaDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Paola TroisiDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Romina Rose PedoneDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Maria Antonia FucileDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Rachele BellettoDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Valeria SardaroDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Chiara LigatoDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Rexhina AjdhoniDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Fabiana CaliciottiDepartment of Traslational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Chiara SighinolfiUrology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Luca TagliaferriDepartment of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiation Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Bernardo RoccoUrology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Giampaolo Tortora *Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Roberto Iacovelli *Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRadical or partial nephrectomy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab is the standard of care for high-risk localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC), yet around 40% of patients relapse within 5 years. We investigated patterns of disease recurrence and the clinical management of RCC patients treated with adjuvant immunotherapy. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe collected patients with high-risk RCC who received adjuvant immunotherapy after radical surgery in our Institution. The primary endpoint was the rate and pattern of disease recurrence. Secondary endpoints were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), post-progression survival (OS2) and treatments at recurrence.

resultsFrom March 2018 to September 2025, 70 patients were included, most received adjuvant pembrolizumab (71%), followed by nivolumab + ipilimumab (16%), and nivolumab monotherapy (13%). 15 patients (21%) experienced recurrence, including 7 (10%) who relapsed on adjuvant treatment. Oligometastatic disease was observed in 10 cases (67%), mainly involving lung (60%), lymph nodes (33%) and renal bed (13%). At recurrence, 9 patients (60%) started first-line therapy, while 5 patients (33%) received loco-regional treatments. After a median follow-up of 30.2 months, 30-month DFS and OS rates were 74% and 94%, respectively, in the overall population. Among patients who progressed, the 24-month OS2 rate was 100% after local therapy alone and 86% with systemic therapy.

conclusionsHigh-risk RCC patients treated with adjuvant immunotherapy remain at considerable risk of relapse, frequently with oligometastatic disease. Excellent post-progression outcomes after loco-regional treatment support a multidisciplinary, metastasis-directed approach to recurrence after adjuvant immunotherapy.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCarcinoma, Renal CellImmunotherapyKidney NeoplasmsNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalAdultAgedAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedChemotherapy, AdjuvantDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNephrectomyNivolumabAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedNivolumabpembrolizumabAdjuvant immunotherapyDisease recurrenceLoco-regional therapyMultidisciplinary managementOligometastatic diseaseRenal cell carcinoma

Identifiers

PMID41739194
PMCPMC12936213

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