BACKGROUND: The sarcomatoid variant of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has often an aggressive course and a poor prognosis, particularly when accompanied with brain metastasis.
CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a patient with sarcomatoid variant RCC in whom brain metastasis was observed as a new lesion during treatment with temsirolimus, despite other extracerebral metastatic lesions being well-controlled and progression-free.
RESULTS: This discrepancy between the effectiveness of temsirolimus for extracerebral metastases and the simultaneous progression of brain metastases of RCC raises a concern that while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy may have clinical efficacy, it may also carry a risk for new brain metastases due to weakening of the structure of the blood brain barrier.
CONCLUSION: This case indicates that computed tomography monitoring of the brain should be regularly performed during VEGF-targeted therapy in patients with sarcomatoid variant RCC, even if brain metastases are absent and extracerebral metastatic lesions are well controlled.
Written by:
Kikuno N, Kennoki T, Fukuda H, Matsumoto Y, Tsunoyama K, Ban S, Satoh H, Ryoji O. Are you the author?
Department of Urology, Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital, Nishi-kawaguchi 5-11-5, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-8558, Japan.
Reference: Anticancer Res. 2012 Aug;32(8):3443-7.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22843928
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