[Cytokine therapy of metastatic renal cell carcinoma]

Abstract

Cytokine therapy of metastatic renal cell carcinoma reveals a remission rate of about 25% regarding to the different patients selection criteria, i.e. age, performance status, site of metastasis, tumour load. Remission is not correlated to patient's survival. Adjuvant or neoadjuvant immunotherapy is not a treatment option. Nephrectomy has no influence on distant metastases and should be limited to symptomatic primary tumours. In conclusion, cytokine therapy is not a standard treatment. Its value has to be evaluated in randomized trials.