Pediatric renal cell carcinoma: A complete response to recombinant interleukin‐2 in a child with metastatic disease at diagnosis

Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma is a rare pediatric malignancy that appears to have a similar clinical outcome in children and adults. We review the experience of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and compare it with the published pediatric series, reporting on seven cases from 1954 to the present. As in earlier pediatric series, we find that Stage I/II patients do well (five of five complete responses with prolonged disease-free survival) with surgical resection. As in other pediatric series, our only Stage III patient died of disease. We also report on a recent case of renal cell carcinoma, metastatic to lymph nodes and lung parenchyma at diagnosis (Stage IV). This patient was treated with high dose continuous infusion recombinant interleukin-2 and had a partial response. The patient attained a complete response following a second laparotomy and two subsequent cycles of recombinant interleukin-2. He is presently well, without evidence of disease, 3 1/2 years after diagnosis. The significance of this form of therapy to advanced renal cell carcinoma in childhood is discussed.