title: Abscess formation mimicking disease progression, in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma during sunitinib treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents approximately 3% of all adult cancers and is more common in males. Systemic treatment for RCC has improved following the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as sunitinib. The molecular targets of sunitinib are receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Moreover, sunitinib has an additional anti-angiogenic effect through its inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor activation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case of intra-abdominal abscess formation mimicking disease progression, in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma during sunitinib treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the advancing era of molecular therapy of solid tumours, sunitinib has demonstrated significant efficacy in the post-cytokine setting treatment of metastatic renal cancer. Concurrently, however, increasing evidence has emerged to indicate that this class of drugs exert profound immunomodulatory effects on T cells and play major roles in immune tumor surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Clinic, Second Department of Surgery, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 78, V. Sofias av, 115 28, Athens, Greece. vmichalaki@usa.net
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Michalaki
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arkadopoulos
authors.forename: Agathi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kondi-Pafiti
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gennatas
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000601:surgery; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000077210:Sunitinib
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D011758:Pyrroles; D000077210:Sunitinib