I have survived 3 years with stage 4 RCC...1. 2 yrs ago removed L kidney to give some time...2. already had mets to both lungs...3. took nexavar for 10 months till it quit working, then tried Sutent didn't work at all,then Tarceva/avistine same results...4.four months ago had bad met to L4 verabra,after radiation didn't work, had major surgery to L4 and lots of cancer around it ,with nerve envolvement, which let me keep walking, otherwise I would be in bed the rest of my life,whatever that may be...having a hard time healing from that, as all L's are fused too, we stared another inhibitor torisil too soon after surgery so it was stopped the 1st week because it started spinal/rt leg pain the next day that was terrable, couldn't even sit without lots of pain,talked to the oncol docs yesterday and we agreed to wait 6 more weeks on the torisil...But if I did not have all this surgery I surley would not be here today...Hope that makes it easier for you to make your mind up about met surgery...my opinion is if you got mets, get ride of them if you can...Mel