title: Clinical and pathological complete remission in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with sunitinib: Is mRCC curable with targeted therapy?
abstract: We report a patient with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) who presented with primary tumor in situ in the left kidney and metastases to bone, liver, lungs, and brain. After over 5 years of sunitinib therapy and subsequent cytoreductive left nephrectomy, the patient achieved radiographic complete response (CR) and had pathologic CR in the nephrectomy specimen. Durable clinical and pathological CRs are possible with targeted agents, even with primary tumor in situ and widely disseminated metastases. Ongoing research will define the optimal duration of systemic therapy in exceptional responders and identify the molecular determinants of response and resistance.
authors.affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1374; Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: Amishi Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1374; Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1374; Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: Zita D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1374; Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: Chaan S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1374; Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: Nizar M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Tannir
keywords: TKI; brain metastasis; metastatic renal cell carcinoma; sunitinib