WIRE - Novel Treatments in Renal Cell Cancer

To join this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and generally well enough to take part. This includes being able to move around without too much difficulty and having a good quality of life. Importantly, you must have kidney cancer that doctors believe can be fully removed by surgery. We'll need to confirm your specific type of kidney cancer through a biopsy.

There are also some important things that would mean you couldn't join. For example, if you've already had certain types of treatment for your kidney cancer, such as specific targeted drugs or immunotherapy, you wouldn't be able to participate. This is because we need to see how these new medicines work on their own or in new combinations, without the effects of previous treatments.

Your doctors will check your general health, including how your organs are working, to make sure it's safe for you to take the study medicines. You also need to have at least one measurable tumour that can be tracked with scans during the study.

If you decide to join, you'll first have a screening period, which lasts about 4 weeks. During this time, you'll have tests and scans to make sure you're suitable for the study. If you qualify, you'll then start taking one or more study medicines, usually as tablets, for at least 2 weeks before your planned surgery to remove the kidney tumour. You'll continue taking the medicine right up until shortly before your operation.

During this time, you might have extra clinic visits or phone calls, especially if you're still on the medicine for a longer period. After your surgery, which will be carried out as standard care, you'll have follow-up appointments at 6 weeks and 3 months to check on your recovery and health. We'll also do special scans (MRI) or blood tests to see how the treatment affected your tumour or immune system. The overall time you're involved with the study, including follow-up, will vary but will be relatively short compared to longer-term cancer treatments.