In the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma, cytokines such as interferons, interleukin-2, tumor necrosis factor and immune therapy with autologous tumor cells and tumor cell vaccines have been tested on a large scale. A definitive cure of a patient with advanced renal cell cancer treated with cytokines or immune therapy has so far not been reported in the literature. The rates of objective remissions (PR and CR) are disappointing and rarely exceed 20% overall. The combination of interferon-alpha and interleukin-2 administered subcutaneously seems to offer the best results with the lowest morbidity. However since standard treatment protocols do not exist, treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma using these substances should only be performed in prospective trials. Immunotherapy with interferons, interleukin-2, tumor necrosis factor, autologous tumor cells or tumor cell vaccines has to be regarded as experimental.