REGRESSION OF METASTATIC RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA AFTER CYTOREDUCTIVE NEPHRECTOMY

Fewer than 1% of patients with renal cell carcinoma are reported to ex perience spontaneous regression of metastatic lesions after nephrectom y. We report on 4 of 91 patients (4.4%) with metastatic renal cell car cinoma who had spontaneous regression of all metastatic lesions after cytoreductive nephrectomy. These patients were carefully selected befo re surgery for the ability to receive high dose interleukin-2. One pat ient had recurrence at 2 months, 1 had recurrence at 11 months, and 2 had no evidence of disease at 3 and 4.5 years.