Dexamethasone and interleukin-2 combination therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma in a patient with paraneoplastic inflammatory syndrome

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in combination with dexamethasone was administered to a 48-year-old man with renal cell carcinoma accompanied by paraneoplastic inflammatory syndrome, including progressive multiple lung metastases and inferior vena caval tumor thrombus. Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs had no apparent antipyretic effect on the systemic inflammatory syndrome, oral administration of dexamethasone achieved complete antipyresis and improved his quality of life. After a 4-week period of IL-2 treatment, regression of metastasized lesions was demonstrated despite concurrent oral administration of dexamethasone. Steroids might reduce the action of immunotherapeutic drugs, but in some cases, combination therapy can achieve both alleviation of the paraneoplastic syndrome and tumor shrinkage.