Circulating tumor-derived biomarkers and association with outcomes to immunotherapy in RCC

Candidate biomarkerReferencesYearCountryNTumorTimepointType of systemic therapyParameter level/trend indicatorDetection techniqueFindings
Circulating tumor cellsBootsma et al. [106]2022US104RCCPre-treatmentICIHighNikon Ti-E microscope with automated XYZ stageWorse OS
On-treatmentIncrease
Circulating tumor DNAMaia et al. [119]2017Brazil34RCCPretreatmentDifferent types of systemic therapy, including ICICollege of American Pathology-accredited comprehensive plasma assayNo significant associations
Circulating tumor DNAChehrazi-Raffle et al. [120]2023US12RCCPretreatmentICIMedian VAFsTARDISDistinguished those achieving PR (0.181%) from those with CR (0.007%)
EV microRNA-155-3pSoleimani et al. [126]2024Canada40RCCPretreatment-Ipilimumab plus nivolumab
-Pembrolizumab plus axitinib
-Avelumab plus axitinib
exoRNeasy serum/plasma midi kit
Applied Biosystems TaqMan assays
TaqMan microRNA RT kit + TaqMan miRNA assay
Lower levels in responders

CR: complete response; ICI: immune checkpoint inhibitors; OS: overall survival; PR: partial response; RCC: renal cell carcinoma; US: United States; EV: extracellular vesicle; miRNAs: micro-ribonucleic acids