Abstract

In recent years, several approved small-molecule kinase inhibitors have been shown to prolong survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but there is still a major need for novel therapies. Turcotte and colleagues now present data indicating that the molecule STF-62247 — identified by screening RCC cells deficient in the von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) tumour suppressor gene, which is inactive in 75% of patients with RCC — induces cytotoxicity and reduces RCC growth through autophagy.