Biotherapy and chemotherapy of renal cell carcinoma
Renal cell carcinoma is a universally fatal condition when metastatic. Rare spontaneous regressions are noted occasionally, as well as prolonged disease-free intervals between therapies. Surgical therapy is possibly adjunctive to effective systemic therapies because tumor bulk appears to influence the effectiveness of current biologic therapies. Newer chemotherapeutic strategies such as time modified infusions and multi-drug resistance inhibition are intriguing. Biologic response modifications such as interferon and IL-2 therapy may mediate regression of metastatic disease in up to 10-30% of patients. These responses may be durable as well. Further experimental therapies will need to be developed if significant impact on metastatic RCC is to be realized in the future.
