Vorinostat and Isotretinoin in Treating Patients With Advanced Kidney Cancer

This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of isotretinoin when given together with vorinostat and to see how well they work in treating patients with advanced kidney cancer. Vorinostat may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Isotretinoin may cause kidney cancer cells to look more like normal cells, and to grow and spread more slowly. Giving vorinostat together with isotretinoin may kill more tumor cells.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Determine the maximum tolerated dose and phase II dose of isotretinoin when given in combination with vorinostat (SAHA) in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. (Phase I) II. Define dose-limiting and other toxicities in patients treated with this regimen. (Phase I) III. Determine the objective response rate of patients treated with this regimen. (Phase II)

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Conduct a pharmacokinetic analysis of this regimen in these patients. (Phase I) II. Conduct gene profiling analysis of pre-study, paraffin-embedded tissues from patients treated with this regimen. (Phase I) III. Conduct correlative studies to identify the effect of SAHA and isotretinoin on RAR-B, LRAT, and STAT1-3 expression. (Phase I)

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, phase I, dose-escalation study of isotretinoin, followed by a multicenter, phase II, prospective, non-randomized study.

Phase I: Patients receive oral vorinostat (SAHA) twice daily and oral isotretinoin twice daily on days 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26. Treatment repeats every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of isotretinoin until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity.

Phase II: Patients receive SAHA as in phase I and isotretinoin as in phase I at the MTD determined in phase I. Tissue and blood samples are obtained for biomarker/laboratory studies in weeks 1 and 4.

Gene profile analysis is conducted on tumor tissue. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed for 12 weeks.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma

  * Advanced or metastatic disease
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \> 20 mm by conventional techniques or \> 10 mm by spiral CT scan (phase II only)
* Failed ≥ 2 prior treatment regimens, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy (i.e., interleukin or interferon), biological agents (i.e., kinase inhibitors), or combinations thereof

  * An overlap between classes of therapies given concurrently will be counted as 2 prior treatment regimens
* No known brain metastases
* ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
* Life expectancy \> 3 months
* WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
* AST and ALT \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal
* Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
* Negative pregnancy test

Exclusion criteria:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* No history of allergic reactions or hypersensitivity attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to vorinostat (SAHA), isotretinoin, or other agents or components (e.g., parabens) used in this study
* No uncontrolled intercurrent illness, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy, including radiation, biologic, or chemotherapeutic agents, for renal cell carcinoma or other tumors
* No other concurrent investigational agents, valproic acid, or other retinoid