Cytoreductive nephrectomy is a surgical technique used with systemic therapy to treat metastatic renal cell carcinoma, but its effectiveness alongside immune checkpoint inhibitors is debated.
A 57-year-old woman with advanced renal cell carcinoma and lung metastases achieved complete response in her lungs following immunotherapy and underwent partial nephrectomy for the primary tumor after five months of treatment.
One year after surgery, she remained free of cancer recurrence, suggesting that cytoreductive surgery may be a viable option in managing metastatic renal cell carcinoma.