Background: Immunomodulary therapy based on interferon (IFN)-a has been shown to be effective in a subset of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). IFN-Beta has occasionally been reported to induce remissions in RCC, but is well established in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). There is an ongoing debate whether hyperactivation of the immune system may convey protection against the development of cancer in MS patients.
Patients and methods: A 54-year-old female MS patient underwent tumor nephrectomy for RCC in 1994. 1 year later, several bilateral pulmonary metastases were documented by computed tomography and were histologically confirmed thereafter. Therapy with IFN-Beta was started.
Results: Soon after initiation of IFN-Beta treatment, the patient achieved an almost complete remission which is still ongoing after 10 years of IFN-Beta therapy.
Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the longest remission under IFN-Beta treatment ever reported in an RCC patient. We conclude that IFN-Beta should be particularly considered as a therapeutic option in the rare occasion of metastatic RCC in patients with MS.