SYSTEMIC THERAPY IN METASTATIC RENAL CELL CARCINOMA

During the last two decades considerable advances have been made in the understand-ing of the biology of RCC. Although the best therapeutic options for patients with met-astatic RCC have not been defined, it is apparent that use of immunomodulating cy-tokines like interferon-alpha and interleukin-2 either alone or combined with chemo-therapeutic agents provides the best available results in routine clinical practice. Nu-merous studies have confirmed that objective tumour responses are seen only in a small fraction of patients (averagely in 15–20 %). In spite of a lot of evidence that these treat-ments prolong survival, expectations of only 5–10 % long-term survivals with complete and durable regression of tumours are realistic. Recently, some new promising investi-gational approaches have been reported. These may already in near future further im-prove overall treatment results. Key words: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma; systemic therapy; interferon therapy; interleukin therapy; antiangiogenetic therap