Immunotherapy Pair Good for Some, Not All, With Kidney Cancer

Yervoy plus Opdivo is a good combination for many patients with kidney cancer, though some individuals should steer clear of the regimen.

While the immunotherapy duo Yervoy (ipilimumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab) works well for many patients with kidney cancer, the regimen is not for everyone, explained Sumanta K. Pal, M.D., associate clinical professor in the Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research and co-director of the Kidney Cancer Program at City of Hope.

This therapy may not be best for patients with good-risk disease or who have autoimmune conditions or concerns. Instead, these patients will often do better on tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drugs, such as Cabometyx (cabozantinib), according to Pal.