Survey of chemotherapy of metastatic renal cancer

A critical survey is made of cytotoxic chemotherapy of metastatic renal cancer. On the basis of representative summaries, only a few substances such as vinblastine, CCNU, hydroxyurea, and ifosfamide seem to act with some degree of success, but no specific antirenal cancer agent has as yet become available. This outline should provide a more realistic view of the therapeutic possibilities and of the limits of cytostatic chemotherapy in the metastatic phase of renal cancer. It is postulated that chemotherapy should feature more prominently in future therapeutic strategies. Newer cytostatic substances, i.e., second-generation alkylating agents and anthracyclines as well as platinum analogues, may present an advance with regard to side effects and tolerance but are discouraging with regard to their therapeutic efficiency in metastatic renal cancer.