Renal cell carcinoma with lung and iliac bone metastasis treated successfully by a multidisciplinary approach utilizing both interferon-alpha and interleukin-2: A case report

We report a case in which intensive combined treatments utilizing both interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) were effective against renal cell carcinoma with bone and lung metastases. A 48-year-old man with a left iliac bone tumor was diagnosed by bone biopsy as having metastatic renal cell carcinoma. He was admitted to our hospital for treatment. Computed tomographic (CT) findings showed a left renal tumor 4.8 cm in diameter and multiple lung metastases, as well as an iliac bone tumor. To reduce the bone pain, he first underwent 39 Gy radiation therapy. Then he received 600 × 10⁴ IU/day of IFN-alpha intramuscularly each day. Thereafter, he underwent TAE for the bone tumor followed by 70 × 10⁴ JRU/day of IL-2 (div) 5 times a week. After obtaining bone pain reduction and stable disease of the bone lesion, left nephrectomy was performed, and pathological examination revealed renal cell carcinoma (clear cell carcinoma spindle cell carcinoma, G2 > G3, INF-α, pT1bpN0M1, v (-)). Thereafter, administrations of IL-2 and IFN-alpha were continued as an adjuvant therapy. CT scan showed complete response of the lung metastases and partial response of the iliac bone metastases at 4 months. No recurrence or regrowth has been observed on a CT scan for 8 months since the nephrectomy. Combined intensive therapy including IL-2 and IFN-alpha may have an effective impact on cancer control for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.