The Role of Cytoreductive Nephrectomy in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in Immuno-oncology Era: SEVURO-CN Trial

BACKGROUND: The role of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has been questioned and remains undetermined in the immuno-oncology era. Results from the two randomized trials, CARMENA and SURTIME, have questioned the role and timing of the surgery in these patients, however, these trials have only used the targeted therapy, sunitinib. With the advent of more effective systemic therapies including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the role of surgical therapy should be reexamined. RATIONALE: The therapeutic effects of ICIs have demonstrated improved oncological outcomes compared to sunitinib. The updated results reported the beneficial role of upfront and deferred CN approach for selected patients. No studies have formally investigated the role of CN in the immune-oncology era where combinatorial use of CN plus ICIs might be beneficial. HYPOTHESIS: Upfront or deferred CN will improve oncological outcomes (overall survival, and progression free survival) in patients with synchronous mRCC and ≤3 IMDC risk features compared to immune checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination) alone. This is an open, randomized, multicenter comparison trial, designed to evaluate the effect of the potential role of CN in combination with immunotherapy in mRCC patients with IMDC intermediate and poor risk.