[A case of complete regression of metastatic renal cell carcinoma following corticosteroid treatment].

A 72-year-old man presented with hemosputum and was admitted to our hospital. Computed tomography and osseous scintigraphy revealed right renal cancer and multiple pulmonary and osseous metastases. A translumbar nephrectomy was performed. The histopathological examination demonstrated granular cell carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma. The patient complained of dyspnea on postoperative day (POD) 16, and chest X-ray showed progression of the multiple pulmonary metastases and lymphangitis carcinomatosa. Betamethasone was administered for palliative treatment. After the treatment, dyspnea improved and chest X-ray on POD 57 showed disappearance of the multiple pulmonary metastases and improvement of lymphangitis carcinomatosa. Computed tomography and osseous scintigraphy confirmed complete regression of metastases. He has been free from recurrence for 16 months after the nephrectomy and for 13 months after the complete regression. To our knowledge, this is the first case of complete regression of metastatic renal cell carcinoma following corticosteroid treatment reported in Japan, and the second case when foreign literature is included.