Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma

This phase II trial studies how well cabozantinib works in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab in treating patients with rare genitourinary (GU) tumors that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body. Cabozantinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving cabozantinib, nivolumab, and ipilimumab may work better in treating patients with genitourinary tumors that have no treatment options compared to giving cabozantinib, nivolumab, or ipilimumab alone.

This phase II trial compares the safety and effectiveness of 89Zr-DFO-GmAb positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) compared to contrast-enhanced CT after surgery in detecting clear cell renal cell cancer that has come back (recurrent). For some patients, the risk of recurrence after surgery remains high. Conventional CT methods, such as contrast-enhanced CT, may not detect small volume or micrometastatic disease. PET/CT with radiotracers, such as 89Zr-DFO-GmAb, may improve detection of tumor cells. Girentuximab (GmAb), a monoclonal antibody, is tagged with zirconium-89, a radioactive atom (which is also known as an isotope). The zirconium-89 (89Zr) isotope is attached to girentuximab with desferrioxamine (DFO) and this combined product is called 89Zr-DFO-girentuximab. 89Zr-DFO-girentuximab attaches itself to a protein on the surface of clear cell renal cell tumor cells called CAIX. PET is an established imaging technique that utilizes small amounts of radioactivity attached to very minimal amounts of tracer, in the case of this research, 89Zr-DFO-GmAb. Because some cancers, including clear cell renal cell cancer, take up 89Zr-DFO-GmAb it can be seen with PET. CT utilizes x-rays that traverse body from the outside. CT images provide an exact outline of organs and potential inflammatory tissue where it occurs in patient's body. Using contrast agents with CT scan to enhance the images (contrast-enhanced CT) is standard of care imaging. 89Zr-DFO-GmAb PET/CT may be safe and effective compared to contrast-enhanced CT in detecting recurrent clear cell renal cell cancer after surgery.

This phase II trial compares the effect of adding a Live Biotherapeutic Product called CBM588 to pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab alone in preventing return of disease (recurrence) after surgery for patients with renal cell cancer. Pembrolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies such as pembrolizumab may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Pembrolizumab is approved for the treatment of renal cell cancer after surgery. Research has shown that changes to the composition of the healthy bacteria in the body (the microbiome), may improve a patient's response to treatment with immunotherapy. CBM588, a Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) containing a bacteria called Clostridium butyricum, has been shown to improve outcomes in patients treated with immunotherapy for other types of cancer. Adding CBM588 to treatment with pembrolizumab after surgery may cause changes in the microbiome that improve patient response to treatment and reduce disease recurrence, compared to pembrolizumab alone.