Cabozantinib
Cabozantinib is a small-molecule, multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that exerts its therapeutic effects primarily through inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs), met (hepatocyte growth factor receptor), AXL, and RET, among other kinases.
Cabozantinib is a small-molecule, multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that exerts its therapeutic effects primarily through inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs), met (hepatocyte growth factor receptor), AXL, and RET, among other kinases. Originally developed by Exelixis and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, cabozantinib is clinically indicated for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), hepatocellular carcinoma, and medullary thyroid cancer. By simultaneously blocking multiple oncogenic signaling axes — notably the VEGFR-driven angiogenesis pathway and the met pathway implicated in tumor invasiveness and resistance — cabozantinib disrupts tumor growth, metastatic spread, and immune evasion in a coordinated manner.
Beyond its established role in oncology, emerging research has begun to reveal previously unrecognized biological activities for cabozantinib, including modulation of innate immune cell death pathways. Its broad kinase inhibitory profile positions it as a candidate for drug repurposing, extending potential therapeutic applications into inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases.
Where the papers sit
10 papers from the last 6 months study cabozantinib directly · updated from PubMed 5 Oct 2026
Study type 1 clinical trial · 5 observational · 2 human data · 1 preclinical · 1 unclassified
Themes 3 themes · 1 new direction
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Cabozantinib in Renal Cancer
Cabozantinib use in advanced renal cell carcinoma is moving toward biomarker-guided selection, exposure monitoring, and combination treatment. Serum concentrations are being linked to tumor response and adverse events, while metabolic pathway analysis seeks predictors of poor efficacy. Nivolumab combinations, radium-223 for bone metastases, and activity in non-clear cell disease broaden treatment strategies. Cardiovascular and sex-specific toxicities remain important limits to optimization.
6 papers · 60%
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Immunotherapy Combinations in Cancer
Immunotherapy combinations are being judged through comparative effectiveness, safety, and cost rather than efficacy alone. Pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib and nivolumab plus cabozantinib are evaluated against competing regimens in advanced renal cell carcinoma. Atezolizumab- and bevacizumab-containing approaches extend the comparison to hepatocellular carcinoma. Real-world toxicity and country-specific economic outcomes remain central to choosing among these combinations.
3 papers · 30%
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MET Fusion Resistance
MET fusion-positive NSCLC is moving toward liquid biopsy-guided management of acquired resistance. Detection of resistance, including in KIF5B::MET disease, supports decisions by molecular tumor boards. Sequential targeted therapy, including crizotinib-based treatment, is being used instead of abandoning MET-directed therapy after progression. The open question is how reliably serial plasma testing can select the next effective drug.
1 papers · 10%
Cabozantinib is used as resistance-directed therapy for MET-fusion NSCLC
The KIF5B::MET-fusion lung adenocarcinoma model assumed that progression on the type I MET inhibitor crizotinib required a new treatment strategy; instead, liquid-biopsy detection of acquired MET kinase-domain resistance mutations guided switching to cabozantinib, a type II MET inhibitor, which produced radiographic disease stabilization. This extends cabozantinib beyond the RCC-focused treatment, combination, safety, and response-prediction roles represented elsewhere in the set, positioning it as genotype- and resistance-directed therapy in MET-driven NSCLC. 42015375Apr
Papers
The 10 papers from the last 6 months that study cabozantinib directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
Cabozantinib in Renal Cancer (6)
- Predicting Poor Efficacy of Cabozantinib in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma by Exploratory Metabolic Pathway Analysis and In Vitro Verification. Cancer medicine · 1 Aug 2026 PMID 42538613
- Phase II Randomized Trial of Radium-223 Dichloride and Cabozantinib in Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma With Bone Metastases: RADICAL (Alliance A031801). Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 27 Jul 2026 PMID 42507969
- Relationships of serum cabozantinib concentration with tumor response and adverse events in treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma: observational exploratory prospective study. International journal of clinical oncology · 4 Jul 2026 PMID 42400775
- Efficacy and safety of cabozantinib plus nivolumab in advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a nationwide multicenter study. Oncoimmunology · 29 Jun 2026 PMID 42366526
- Discovery of Casdatifan, Part II: A Potent and Orally Bioavailable Inhibitor of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-2α. Journal of medicinal chemistry · 5 Jun 2026 PMID 42246926
- Sex-Specific Adverse Events and Cardiovascular Toxicity of Cabozantinib in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Nine-Year Pharmacovigilance Study. Cancer investigation · 29 May 2026 PMID 42212588
Immunotherapy Combinations in Cancer (3)
- Cost‑effectiveness of first‑line immunotherapy-based combination regimens for advanced renal cell carcinoma in China and the United States. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 22 Aug 2026 PMID 42630013
- Safety of Immune-Targeted Therapy in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Real-World. Journal of gastrointestinal cancer · 16 Jul 2026 PMID 42461453
- Comparison of effectiveness and safety of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib versus nivolumab plus cabozantinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a real-world study. International journal of clinical oncology · 27 May 2026 PMID 42204034
MET Fusion Resistance (1)
- Liquid biopsy-based detection of acquired MET resistance enables sequential targeted therapy in MET fusion-positive NSCLC. The oncologist · 22 Apr 2026 PMID 42015375
By study type
Clinical trials (1)
- Phase II Randomized Trial of Radium-223 Dichloride and Cabozantinib in Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma With Bone Metastases: RADICAL (Alliance A031801). Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 27 Jul 2026 PMID 42507969
Observational studies and case reports (5)
- Predicting Poor Efficacy of Cabozantinib in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma by Exploratory Metabolic Pathway Analysis and In Vitro Verification. Cancer medicine · 1 Aug 2026 PMID 42538613
- Relationships of serum cabozantinib concentration with tumor response and adverse events in treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma: observational exploratory prospective study. International journal of clinical oncology · 4 Jul 2026 PMID 42400775
- Efficacy and safety of cabozantinib plus nivolumab in advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a nationwide multicenter study. Oncoimmunology · 29 Jun 2026 PMID 42366526
- Comparison of effectiveness and safety of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib versus nivolumab plus cabozantinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a real-world study. International journal of clinical oncology · 27 May 2026 PMID 42204034
- Liquid biopsy-based detection of acquired MET resistance enables sequential targeted therapy in MET fusion-positive NSCLC. The oncologist · 22 Apr 2026 PMID 42015375
Human data, design not indexed (2)
- Cost‑effectiveness of first‑line immunotherapy-based combination regimens for advanced renal cell carcinoma in China and the United States. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 22 Aug 2026 PMID 42630013
- Safety of Immune-Targeted Therapy in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Real-World. Journal of gastrointestinal cancer · 16 Jul 2026 PMID 42461453
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (1)
- Discovery of Casdatifan, Part II: A Potent and Orally Bioavailable Inhibitor of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-2α. Journal of medicinal chemistry · 5 Jun 2026 PMID 42246926
Unclassified: not yet indexed with MeSH (1)
- Sex-Specific Adverse Events and Cardiovascular Toxicity of Cabozantinib in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Nine-Year Pharmacovigilance Study. Cancer investigation · 29 May 2026 PMID 42212588
Written from 10 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-06-15. Last written: 2026-08-26 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.