Hormonal treatment of metastases of renal carcinoma

A series of 33 patients with metastatic renal cancer and evidence of progression of the disease-apart from pulmonary metastases-was treated with hormones (progestogens in 31 cases, androgens in 2 cases) at the Rotterdamsch Radio-Therapeutisch Instituut. Complete or partial spontaneous regression (or non-progression of pulmonary metastases) before hormone treatment was observed in 8 patients (24%). A favourable subjective response to hormone treatment was obtained in 12 patients (36%), while a positive objective response was obtained in 2 (or 3) cases (6-9%).A favourable response was obtained slightly more frequently in men than in women. The hormonal effect was not demonstrably related to any of the following factors: age of the patient, type of progestogen used, the behaviour of concomitant pulmonary metastases, or the presence or absence of the primary growth.The prognosis was unaffected by hormone therapy, but the 2 year survival rate was significantly higher in patients that showed signs of spontaneous regression of pulmonary metastases, as compared with those without these signs.