[Renal cell carcinoma-interferon therapy, its clinical adaptation and limitations]

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma has been treated by several types of combination therapy including interferon alfa (IFN-alpha). The line of experimental evidence suggested that IFN-alpha and chemotherapeutic agents or other cytokines have synergistic effects on cancer cells from in vitro and in vivo study. However, in clinical trials the response rate by these combination therapies for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma is not satisfactory. In future, some of these combination therapies must be evaluated by large-scale randomized trials. And to improve the poor prognosis and response rate, a new drug delivery system is needed such as chemoembolization.