Background: To date, no predictive factors are recognized and applied in the therapeutic choice for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Due to significant side-effects and costs, which are relevant issues in this setting, optimization of treatments has become a priority.
Case report: We herein report a case of complete remission of metastatic renal cell carcinoma after 1 year of treatment with sunitinib. Since pancreatic metastases were detected by a 68Ga-DOTA-NOC positron emission tomography, it was decided to perform a histological revision of the specimens, with immunohistochemical staining for neuroendocrine markers on the primary tumor.
Conclusion: On the basis of the detection of neuroendocrine markers on the primary neoplasm, together with pancreatic metastases positive on a 68Ga-DOTA-NOC positron emission tomography (PET), we hypothesize and discuss about a potential role of specific neuroendocrine markers as predictive indicators of response to sunitinib (and allegedly to other target therapies) in the treatment of this neoplasm.
Keywords: Neuroendocrine markers; predictive markers; renal cell carcinoma; sunitinib.
Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.