Gene Variant May Predict Side Effects From Kidney Cancer Immunotherapy

A gene linked to immune system function may help predict which patients with kidney cancer are more likely to experience side effects from immunotherapy, according to research highlighted by Dr. Emre Yekedüz.

The findings, which will be presented by Dr. Eddy Saad at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, highlight a specific variation in the interleukin-7 (IL-7) gene. This single nucleotide polymorphism was associated with a higher risk of immune-related adverse events, or side effects, in patients receiving treatment.

Side effects of grade 2 (moderate) or higher occurred in 33.3% of patients treated with Opdivo (nivolumab) and 40.4% of those treated with Afinitor (everolimus). In the Opdivo arm, the most common side effects were skin-related (21%), liver-related (16.8%) and endocrine (15.8%). In the Afinitor arm, respiratory (30.1%), skin-related (22.3%) and gastrointestinal (19.4%) side effects were most common.

The rate of grade 2 or higher side effects was significantly higher in variant-positive patients compared with variant-negative patients treated with Opdivo, this pattern was not observed in patients receiving Afinitor. Recurrent side effects followed a similar pattern, with higher rates in variant-positive patients receiving Opdivo and a possible trend toward lower rates in those receiving Afinitor.

This finding could lead to more personalized strategies for reducing toxicity in patients with kidney cancer, as per Yekedüz.

Yekedüz is a medical oncologist and research fellow in medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Transcript:

Are there any noteworthy studies being presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting that could help patients better understand or manage potential side effects from immunotherapy?

I’d like to highlight a poster [being presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting] that will be presented during the poster session. It evaluates the role of the interleukin-7 (IL-7) gene, which is involved in immune pathways for patients receiving immunotherapy. The study, to be presented by Dr. Eddy Saad from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, found that a single nucleotide polymorphism in IL-7 is associated with an increased risk of immune-related side effects in these patients.

Moving forward, we may be able to use this information to identify patients at higher risk for these side effects and reduce toxicity for those with renal cell carcinoma.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.