Introduction: The effectiveness of nivolumab plus cabozantinib for metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus remains unclear.
Case presentation: A 77-year-old male was diagnosed with right papillary renal cell carcinoma with a metastatic lesion on Gerota's fascia, lymph node metastasis, and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus. He was treated with nivolumab plus cabozantinib. As all lesions regressed enough to permit complete resection, radical nephrectomy, thrombectomy, and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection were performed. No viable malignant cells were identified histopathologically. Despite the discontinuation of nivolumab plus cabozantinib, there has been no recurrence for 9 months.
Conclusion: Nivolumab plus cabozantinib has effectiveness for metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.
Keywords: cabozantinib; cytoreductive nephrectomy; inferior vena cava tumor thrombus; metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma; nivolumab.
© 2023 The Authors. IJU Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Urological Association.