Spontaneous Regression of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma after Talc Pleurodesis

ABSTRACT

Spontaneous regression of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) was reported over the last century. However, there are no reports on spontaneous regression of mRCC by talc pleurodesis. A 43-year-old man who underwent left nephrectomy by RCC visited emergency room with headache and hallucination. Tumor was metastasized to brain, lung, and pleura accompanied by malignant pleural effusion. Talc pleurodesis by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed to treat malignant pleural effusion. After 7 months without specific chemotherapy, pulmonary lesions of mRCC gradually regressed. We thought that this phenomenon appears as an immunologic response of talc pleurodesis. We herein present a rare case of spontaneous regression of mRCC following talc pleurodesis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of spontaneous regression in mRCC following talc pleurodesis.