Continuation of axitinib for advanced renal cell carcinoma by the application of homecare urology-a case report and literature review

A 56-year-old man with advanced RCC and a past medical history of type 2 diabetes underwent a radical left nephrectomy following a histological diagnosis of papillary RCC, G2, INF β, pT3, V1 in 1999. In 2008, sorafenib was started to treat multiple pulmonary metastases of RCC. In 2011, sorafenib was switched to sunitinib when radiologic progression was observed. In 2014, sunitinib was switched to axitinib when further radiologic progression was observed. In 2015, the patient was referred to Yazawa clinic for homecare urology when hospital visits became difficult due to cancer pain and bilateral lower-extremity muscle weakness. Cancer pain was controlled using acetaminophen and a fentanyl patch. During the administration of axitinib, a CTCAE grade 1 vocal disorder was detected. We reduced the axitinib dose from 10 mg to 6 mg, and valsartan and an antiflatulent were administered due to CTCAE grade 2 hypertension and diarrhea, respectively. Axitinib administration continued until the patient died. He had survived more than 11 years following the detection of lung metastasis. In this patient, a good balance between cancer treatment and palliative care was achieved through the application of homecare urology. In a super-aged society such as Japan, urologists with an awareness of Zaitaku Medicine, a Japanese style of homecare that provides continuing appropriate medical treatment and welfare support to patients with access barriers to hospital treatment to enable them to live out the remainder of their lives with dignity, may play a key role in the development of Zaitaku Medicine.