Results of treatment of 255 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who received high-dose recombinant interleukin-2 therapy.

High-dose IL-2 appears to benefit some patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma by producing durable CRs or PRs. Despite severe acute treatment-associated toxicities, IL-2 should be considered for initial therapy of patients with appropriately selected metastatic renal cell carcinoma.