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‹ Wed · 20 May 2026
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Impact of prior primary tumor resection on long-term prognosis in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab: a multicenter analysis

Removing the primary kidney tumor before immunotherapy dramatically improves survival in metastatic kidney cancer, based on long-term real-world follow-up.

In 135 mRCC patients across 8 Japanese institutions with a long 54-month median follow-up, prior primary tumor resection (cytoreductive nephrectomy) was independently associated with markedly better outcomes on nivolumab+ipilimumab, with OS not reached vs. 22 months for non-resected synchronous disease. These long-term real-world data from a Japanese multicenter cohort provide important guidance for patient selection and sequencing of surgery with ICI therapy in mRCC.

What the study was

Study design
Retrospective multicenter cohort study; 8 Japanese institutions
Population
135 mRCC patients receiving first-line NIVO+IPI at 8 Japanese institutions; median follow-up 54 months
Sample size
135
Category
Treatment Innovation
Maturity
Validated
Journal
Int J Clin Oncol

Why it surfaced

Long-term (54-month) multicenter Japanese cohort reinforcing role of cytoreductive nephrectomy before NIVO+IPI in mRCC. Retrospective; adds real-world evidence to ongoing CN debate.

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