Treatments
TL;DR: 25 FDA-approved drugs have labels that mention kidney cancer in their indications. Grouped below by mechanism of action. This list gives you the vocabulary — your oncologist chooses a regimen based on your specific subtype, stage, biomarkers, and prior therapies.
Source: OpenFDA drug label API · last checked
Cost transparency
Drugs below have published Medicare Part B or Part D spending figures — what the federal government actually paid per beneficiary in 2023.
Immunotherapy (PD-1 inhibitor)
Immunotherapy (PD-1 inhibitor)
Immunotherapy (CTLA-4 inhibitor)
Targeted antibody (VEGF)
Figures are average Medicare spending per beneficiary. Out-of-pocket varies by insurance and manufacturer assistance. See all drug costs →
Drugs that activate or modify the immune system to attack cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors (targeting PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4) are the most common.
Programmed Death Ligand-1 Blocker [EPC] · Programmed Death Ligand-1 Antagonists [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE BAVENCIO is a programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) blocking antibody indicated for: Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) Adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older with metastatic MCC. ( 1.1 , 14.1 ) Urothelial Carcinoma (…
CTLA-4-directed Blocking Antibody [EPC] · CTLA-4-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE YERVOY is a human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4)-blocking antibody indicated for: Melanoma • Treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma in adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older as a single…
Programmed Death Receptor-1 Blocking Antibody [EPC] · Programmed Death Receptor-1-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE OPDIVO is a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody indicated for the treatment of: Melanoma • adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma, as a single agen…
Programmed Death Receptor-1 Blocking Antibody [EPC] · Endoglycosidase [EPC]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE OPDIVO QVANTIG is a combination of nivolumab, a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody, and hyaluronidase, an endoglycosidase, indicated for the treatment of: Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) • adult patients…
Programmed Death Receptor-1 Blocking Antibody [EPC] · Programmed Death Receptor-1-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE KEYTRUDA is a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody indicated: Melanoma for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. ( 1.1 ) for the adjuvant treatment of adult and pediatric…
Endoglycosidase [EPC] · Programmed Death Receptor-1 Blocking Antibody [EPC]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE KEYTRUDA QLEX is a combination of pembrolizumab, a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody, and berahyaluronidase alfa, an endoglycosidase, indicated: Melanoma for the treatment of adult patients with un…
Monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that bind specific proteins on cancer cells.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitor [EPC] · Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Avastin is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with intravenous fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treatm…
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitor [EPC] · Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE VEGZELMA is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with intravenous fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treat…
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitor [EPC] · Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE MVASI is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with intravenous fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treatmen…
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitor [EPC] · Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE ZIRABEV is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: • Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with intravenous fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line trea…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Alymsys is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with intravenous fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treatm…
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitor [EPC] · Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Jobevne is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: • Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with intravenous fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first-or second-line treat…
Small-molecule drugs taken by mouth that block specific molecular pathways driving cancer growth (kinases, PARP, CDK4/6, etc.).
Kinase Inhibitor [EPC] · Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE INLYTA is a kinase inhibitor indicated: • in combination with avelumab, for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). ( 1.1 ) • in combination with pembrolizumab, for the first-li…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE CABOMETYX is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). ( 1.1 ) patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, as a first-line treatment in combination with niv…
Kinase Inhibitor [EPC] · mTOR Inhibitor Immunosuppressant [EPC]
From the FDA label: 1. INDICATIONS AND USAGE Everolimus tablets are a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: Postmenopausal women with advanced hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer in combination with exemestane after failure of tre…
Kinase Inhibitor [EPC] · Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE LENVIMA is a kinase inhibitor that is indicated: Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC) For the treatment of adult patients with locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated…
Kinase Inhibitor [EPC] · Protein Kinase Inhibitors [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Pazopanib tablets are a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adults with: advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). ( 1.1 ) advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who have received prior chemotherapy. ( 1.2 ) Limit…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Pazopanib is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adults with: advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). ( 1.1 ) advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who have received prior chemotherapy. ( 1.2 ) Limitations of…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Sorafenib is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of • Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma ( 1.1 ) • Advanced renal cell carcinoma ( 1.2 ) • Locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, differentiated th…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Sunitinib malate is a kinase inhibitor indicated for: treatment of adult patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) after disease progression on or intolerance to imatinib mesylate. ( 1.1 ) treatment of adul…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE FOTIVDA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following two or more prior systemic therapies. FOTIVDA is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the…
Drugs whose pharmacologic class was not automatically classified into the groups above. Check the FDA label for mechanism details.
Lymphocyte Growth Factor [EPC] · Interleukin-2 [CS]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Proleukin is a lymphocyte growth factor indicated for: The treatment of adults with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. ( 1.1 ) The treatment of adults with metastatic melanoma. ( 1.2 ) 1.1 Metastatic Renal Cell Carcino…
Hypoxia-inducible Factor Inhibitor [EPC] · Hypoxia-inducible Factor 2 alpha Inhibitors [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE WELIREG is a hypoxia-inducible factor inhibitor indicated: von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease for treatment of adult patients with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease who require therapy for associated renal cell carcinoma
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Temsirolimus injection is indicated for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Temsirolimus injection is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. ( 1 )
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Temsirolimus injection is indicated for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Temsirolimus injection is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. ( 1 )
Disease foundations below have active funds covering kidney cancer medications. Manufacturer patient-assistance programs are listed on each drug's cost page.
copay, premium, and deductible assistance for insured patients; fund availability varies by disease
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/disease-funds/Funds open and close based on availability; check disease-funds page for current status
copay assistance for 20+ cancer types via disease-specific funds
https://www.panfoundation.org/find-disease-fund/Merging with Patient Advocate Foundation; unified 'TotalAssist' program launches 2026-07-01
direct copay / coinsurance assistance via disease-specific funds
https://copays.org/Merging with PAN Foundation; launching 'TotalAssist' 2026-07-01
limited financial assistance for transportation, home care, child care, and treatment-related costs
https://www.cancercare.org/financialcopay and premium assistance for chronic disease treatments
https://www.mygooddays.org/URL pending re-validation; disease fund availability varies
Trials test new therapies before they are FDA-approved. Often a way to access tomorrow's drugs today.
Back to Kidney Cancer hub →Stats, second opinions, NCI cancer centers, oncologists.
Understand biomarkers →Most targeted therapies require biomarker testing. Here's what you need to know.
Read your pathology report →Which drugs apply to you depends on what's in your pathology.