[Comment] Immunotherapy in renal cell carcinoma

The incorporation of nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, into the treatment framework for treatment-refractory metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma has been crucial in improving outcomes for patients.1 In the CheckMate-214 study,2 ipilimumab, the first approved immune checkpoint inhibitor, was combined with nivolumab, which prolonged overall survival in treatment-naive patients. Disruption of cancer-induced immune tolerance with these drugs substantially improved all meaningful endpoints when compared with previous standards of care.