Abscess formation mimicking disease progression, in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma during sunitinib treatment.
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.
Michalaki
Vasiliki
V
Oncology Clinic, Second Department of Surgery, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 78, V. Sofias av, 115 28, Athens, Greece. vmichalaki@usa.net
Arkadopoulos
Nikolaos
N
Kondi-Pafiti
Agathi
A
Gennatas
Constantine
C
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
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D011758:Pyrroles; D000077210:Sunitinib