Outcome after treatment with axitinib in children, young adults, and adults with renal cell carcinoma: a narrative review

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a very rare type of renal cancer in children and young adults. When metastasized or recurrent, no standards of care are available, and outcome is still poor. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor axitinib is approved for treatment of RCC in adults, but its effects in children and young adults with RCC remains unclear. Due to the histological and biological differences between children and adults, it is difficult to extrapolate knowledge on treatments from the adult to the pediatric and young adult setting. This paper summarizes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with RCC who were treated with axitinib, with the aim to gain insight in the clinical efficacy of this compound in this young patient group. •Axitinib combined with immunotherapy is effective in adults with advanced RCC.•Pediatric RCC differs from adult RCC because 50 % presents with translocation RCC.•Experience with axitinib treatment is limited in young patients with RCC.•The effect of axitinib monotherapy remains unclear in young patients with RCC.•Targeted treatment in young patients with RCC requires a larger setting evaluation.