Molecular oncology: what is needed to speed access to innovative therapies in clinical research?

Purpose Of Review: A better understanding of the biology of cancer cells has led in the past 20 years to more and more molecular and immunological driven treatment strategies impacting both clinical trials and day-to-day practice. The aim of this review is to describe new approaches to conduct clinical trials in this area to speed up drug development and increase access to innovation for cancer patients.

Recent Findings: The design of an early phase trial has an impact on its clinical benefit.

A Rare Case of Hepatic Vanishing Bile Duct Syndrome Occurring after Combination Therapy with Nivolumab and Cabozantinib in a Patient with Renal Carcinoma.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) significantly improve the outcomes of patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC); however, high-grade toxicities can occur, particularly during combination therapy. Herein, we report a patient with advanced metastatic ccRCC, who developed grade 4 cholestasis during combined therapy with nivolumab and cabozantinib. After the exclusion of common disorders associated with cholestasis and a failure of corticosteroids (CS), a liver biopsy was performed that demonstrated severe ductopenia.