[Efficacy of Sunitinib Rechallenge in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma : A Case Report]

A 67-year-old woman underwent radical nephrectomy (clear cell carcinoma, G2＞3, pT2b) for left renal cancer with pulmonary metastasis. After interferon-α treatment for 7 months, right iliac bone metastasis occurred. Pulmonary and right ileac bone metastases became larger after 4 months of first sunitinib administration. Replacement by everolimus treatment was not effective. After 6 months of sunitinib rechallenge therapy, pulmonary metastasis disappeared and right ileac bone metastasis became smaller. However, 1 month later, right costal and left femoral metastases occurred. She was kept on sunitinib treatment, and there were no changes in these metastases for 1 year. However, it was difficult to continue sunitinib treatment because of side effects, resulting in growth of metastases. Costal and femoral metastases showed a partial response to axtinib treatment given thereafter. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor rechallenge therapy had potential benefits and was tolerated in selected metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients.