Editorial comment

摘要

Rini et al describe the results of an important phase II trial exploring the ability of sunitinib to facilitate surgery in patients initially presenting with unre-sectable renal carcinoma. The major limitation of the trial is the subjective criteria used to define unresectability. Unlike bladder cancer, where a tumor fixed to the pelvic sidewall is by definition un-resectable, there is much more inter-surgeon variability in defining unresectable renal cancer. Indeed, the investigators noted that the trial initially included much more objective eligibility criteria, which were subsequently amended to facilitate enrollment.