Multi-Institutional Experience with Robotic Nephrectomy with Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombectomy

PURPOSE

Since the first report of robotic management of renal tumors with inferior vena cava tumor thrombi, few additional cases have been reported in the literature. We report our combined experience with this procedure, to our knowledge the first multi-institutional and largest series reported to date.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective, multi-institutional review of robotic nephrectomy with inferior vena cava tumor thrombectomy was performed with institutional review board approval.

RESULTS

A total of 32 cases were performed among 9 surgeons at 9 institutions since the first known procedure in 2008. Of these cases 30 were level II and 2 were level III thrombi with no level I thrombi (renal vein only) included in the analysis. Each surgeon performed between 1 and 10 procedures. Mean patient age was 63 years (range 43 to 81) with a mean body mass index of 30 kg/m(2) (range 17 to 43) and mean maximal tumor diameter of 9.6 cm (range 5.4 to 20). The length of inferior vena cava tumor thrombi ranged from 1 to 11 cm (median 4.2) on preoperative imaging. The inferior vena cava required cross-clamping in 24 cases. One patient had 2 renal veins with 2 caval thrombi and 1 patient required synthetic patch cavoplasty. Mean operative time was 292 minutes (range 180 to 411) with a mean blood loss of 399 cc (range 25 to 2,000). There were no conversions to open surgery or aborted procedures and there were 3 transfusions of 1 to 3 units. All but 2 patients ambulated by postoperative day 1 and mean hospital stay was 3.2 days (range 1 to 7). Lymphadenectomy in 24 patients yielded a mean of 11 nodes and 8 patients had node positive disease. There were 7 patients who experienced distant recurrence at a mean followup of 15.4 months, including 4 who had node positive disease on postoperative pathological examination.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic nephrectomy in the setting of inferior vena cava tumor thrombus is feasible and was performed safely in selected patients. Despite the complex and critical nature of these procedures, our series demonstrates favorable outcomes and reproducibility with adequate robotic experience.

Does the Renal Parenchyma Adjacent to the Tumor Contribute to Kidney Function? A Critical Analysis of Glomerular Viability in Partial Nephrectomy Specimens

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the viability of glomeruli in the peritumor parenchyma of partial nephrectomy specimens removed for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and relate it to kidney function, to better understand the contribution of peritumor parenchyma to renal function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 53 partial nephrectomies containing RCC was performed. Glomeruli within 0.25-cm increments from the tumor were quantified and histologically assessed for viability. Tumor size, minimum and maximum margin size, and pre- and postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were obtained.

RESULTS

Glomerular viability positively correlated with distance from tumor with mean viable glomeruli in successive 0.25-cm increments of 0-0.25 cm, 58%; 0.25-0.5 cm, 80%; 0.5-0.75 cm, 90%; and 0.75-1.0 cm, 92%. Glomerular viability near the tumor did not correlate with preoperative eGFR, whereas decreased viability further from the tumor did correlate with worse preoperative eGFR. Tumor size showed a nonstatistically significant positive trend with minimum (median 0.15 cm) and maximum margin (median 0.7 cm) sizes. Percent change of glomerular filtration rate did not correlate with margin size (P = .190).

CONCLUSION

Renal parenchyma immediately adjacent to RCC contains fewer viable glomeruli compared with the parenchyma further from the tumor. Based on this information, attempts to preserve all non-neoplastic renal parenchyma via a surgical margin approaching zero may not necessarily result in clinically relevant differences in the amount of viable glomeruli remaining or the renal function preserved.

Concordance of lymphovascular invasion diagnosed in penile carcinoma with and without the immunohistochemical markers ERG and CD31

Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is an independent predictor of metastatic lymph node disease in penile carcinoma and is one factor used to guide clinical management. The presence of LVI with and without the use of the endothelial immunohistochemical (IHC) markers, ERG and CD31, was retrospectively assessed in 46 penectomy cases containing invasive penile carcinoma (43 squamous cell carcinoma and 3 non-squamous cell carcinoma). Concordance for the detection of LVI between the original report, upon pathology review, and with the use of IHC was determined and histologic pitfalls were identified. For penile squamous cell carcinoma, LVI was diagnosed in 27.9% of tumors in the original reports, 16.3% upon pathology review, and in 16.3% with use of ERG and CD31. Concordance of LVI identification in the original report compared to IHC was 74.4% while concordance of review compared to IHC was 95.3%. Using IHC data as the reference, false positive LVI diagnoses were more common in the original report than false negatives. Histologic mimickers of LVI including involvement of the penile corpora cavernosum or spongiosum vasculature, seromucinous colonization, and a nested pattern of tumor invasion were identified. We demonstrated that it was not uncommon for LVI in penile carcinoma to be overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. The use of endothelial IHC markers, such as ERG or CD31, or additional pathology consultation is recommended for penectomy cases in which LVI is difficult to histologically discern.

The RAZOR (randomized open vs robotic cystectomy) trial: study design and trial update

The purpose of the RAZOR (randomized open vs robotic cystectomy) study is to compare open radical cystectomy (ORC) vs robot-assisted RC (RARC), pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) and urinary diversion for oncological outcomes, complications and health-related quality of life (HRQL) measures with a primary endpoint of 2-year progression-free survival (PFS). RAZOR is a multi-institutional, randomized, non-inferior, phase III trial that will enrol at least 320 patients with T1-T4, N0-N1, M0 bladder cancer with ≈160 patients in both the RARC and ORC arms at 15 participating institutions. Data will be collected prospectively at each institution for cancer outcomes, complications of surgery and HRQL measures, and then submitted to trial data management services Cancer Research and Biostatistics (CRAB) for final analyses. To date, 306 patients have been randomized and accrual to the RAZOR trial is expected to conclude in 2014. In this study, we report the RAZOR trial experimental design, objectives, data safety, and monitoring, and accrual update. The RAZOR trial is a landmark study in urological oncology, randomizing T1-T4, N0-N1, M0 patients with bladder cancer to ORC vs RARC, PLND and urinary diversion. RAZOR is a multi-institutional, non-inferiority trial evaluating cancer outcomes, surgical complications and HRQL measures of ORC vs RARC with a primary endpoint of 2-year PFS. Full data from the RAZOR trial are not expected until 2016-2017.

Whole-mount evaluation of penectomies for penile cancer: feasibility, cost and comparison to routine sectioning

AIMS

Pathological staging in penectomies may be difficult due to the anatomical complexity of penile anatomy, and may be additionally challenging due to the low volume at most institutions. Our study aimed to assess the feasibility of whole-mount processing for penectomy specimens.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 7-year retrospective search for partial or radical penectomies identified 55 specimens, which were processed routinely (n = 31) from 2006 to 2009 and whole-mounted (n = 24) from 2010 to 2012. Routine cases used more slides per case compared to whole mounts (mean 10.4 versus 7.2). Recuts occurred more often in routine cases (12.9% versus 0%). More routine cases had additional blocks grossed (19.4% versus 4.2%). Upon review, five discrepancies that impacted pT staging were identified in the routine group, with none in the whole-mount group. The average estimated additional cost for each whole-mount case compared to routine processing was $40.74, with an increased turnaround time of 1 day.

CONCLUSIONS

Whole-mounting is a feasible technique for penectomy that can be utilized with minimal increased cost and turnaround time, and may improve staging. Institutions in which whole-mounting is already established for other organs, such as prostate, may wish to consider utilizing this format for penectomy specimens.

Utility and diagnostic accuracy of ureteroscopic biopsy in upper tract urothelial carcinoma

CONTEXT

Ureteroscopic biopsy is the gold standard for the histopathologic diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the accuracy of endoscopically obtained biopsy samples in diagnosing, grading, and staging urothelial carcinoma and correlate diagnostic findings to biopsy sample size.

DESIGN

We retrospectively reviewed endoscopic biopsies of the ureter, renal pelvis, and ureteropelvic junction from 2008 to 2011. Biopsy diagnoses that were discordant with follow-up pathology and/or ureteroscopic impression were re-reviewed and samples were immunohistochemically analyzed.

RESULTS

Endoscopic biopsies (n = 118) yielded a sensitivity of 85.4% for the ureter (n = 79), 77.8% for the renal pelvis (n = 37), and 100% for the ureteropelvic junction (n = 2). A specificity of 100% for all locations and a diagnostic accuracy of 98.3% were identified. The median sample size was 0.3 cm for true positives, 0.3 cm for true negatives, and 0.2 cm for false negatives with no statistical significance. We found that 87.1% of tumors diagnosed on biopsy had concordant grade and 60.0% had concordant pT stage with follow-up surgical resections (n = 43) and biopsies (n = 24). Biopsy samples with concordant tumor grades (mean = 0.6 cm) compared with follow-up resection were larger than biopsy samples with discordant grades (mean = 0.3 cm) (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

Though highly specific, endoscopic biopsy does provide a significant false-negative rate owing to both sampling and diagnostic errors when assessing the upper urinary tract for urothelial carcinoma. Tumor grading is accurate, particularly with larger tissue samples, but tumor staging is unreliable.

Regaining candidacy for heart transplantation after robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in left ventricular assist device patient

Several factors may highlight the relevance of prostate cancer to the pre-heart-transplant population. First, the expansion in candidate selection criteria led to increased number of men over the age of fifty to be considered for heart transplantation. With the introduction of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy, waiting-list mortality has dramatically declined over the past decade. Additionally, transplant candidates are diligently screened for preexisting neoplasm while on the waiting list. Taken together, screening-detected prostate cancer may increasingly be diagnosed in patients on the waiting list. If discovered, it will pose unique challenge to clinicians as to date there has been no universally accepted management guideline. We report a case of LVAD-treated heart transplant candidate diagnosed with prostate cancer while on the waiting list. Patient screening demonstrated PSA elevation which prompted prostate biopsy. Low-risk clinically localized prostate cancer was confirmed and led to removal of patient from transplant list. When counseled regarding management of his cancer, the patient elected to undergo radical prostatectomy in a hope to regain candidacy for heart transplantation. Despite being of high surgical risk, multidisciplinary team approach led to successful management of prostate cancer and the patient eventually received heart transplant one year following prostatectomy.

Early outcomes with neoadjuvant high-dose intensity methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (HD-MVAC) or gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: A single-institution experience

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Background: Compared to MVAC, HD-MVAC achieves significantly higher complete response rates in patients (pts) with metastatic bladder cancer. Based on current literature, 7%-38% of pts with muscle-invasive bladder cancer achieve pathological down-staging (pT0) with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC), which correlates with improved disease-free and overall survival. The role of HD-MVAC has not been evaluated in the neoadjuvant setting. In this retrospective study, we present our data in pts who received NC with HD-MVAC or GC followed by radical cystectomy (RC).

Methods: From July 2008 to August 2010, 38 (pts) received 4 cycles of NC with either HD-MVAC or GC for at least T2 bladder cancer followed by RC. The endpoints of interest of this study were the complete pathologic response (pT0) or down-staging to < pT2 (pT0, pTis, and pT1) at RC; and median interval to RC from the time of diagnosis of muscle-invasive bladder cancer and start of NC.

Results: Median age at the time of diagnosis was 66 years (35-80 years). Fifteen pts received neoadjuvant HD-MVAC, and 23 received neoadjuvant GC. Clinical T stage at the time of diagnosis was T2 in 29 (76%), T3 in 3 (8%), and T4 in 6 (16%) pts. Down-staging to < pT2 was achieved in 8 (53%) of HD-MVAC pts and 10 (43%) of GC pts. pT0 was achieved in 5 (33%) of HD-MVAC pts and 9 (39%) of GC pts. The median interval from time of diagnosis to RC was 129 days (range 84-154) for the HD-MVAC pts, and 145 days (range 108-252) for the GC pts. The median interval from initiation of NC to RC was 85 days (range 53-122) for the HD-MVAC pts and 107 days (range 60-126) for the GC pts. Overall, NC was well tolerated with 80% of HD-MVAC pts and 78% of GC pts completing the planned chemotherapy. To this date, none of the pT0 pts had recurrence.

Conclusions: Both neoadjuvant HD-MVAC and GC appear to be well tolerated, with very promising rate of pathological down-staging. Longer follow-up is needed for the survival outcomes of these patients. A shorter interval from diagnosis and initiation of NC to RC might be responsible for our better outcomes comparing to some historical data.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

The psychological context of quality of life: a psychometric analysis of a novel idiographic measure of bladder cancer patients' personal goals and concerns prior to surgery

BACKGROUND

Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing focus on quality of life outcomes in urological diseases. Patient-reported outcomes research has relied on structured assessments that constrain interpretation of the impact of disease and treatments. In this study, we present content analysis and psychometric evaluation of the Quality of Life Appraisal Profile. Our evaluation of this measure is a prelude to a prospective comparison of quality of life outcomes of reconstructive procedures after cystectomy.

METHODS

Fifty patients with bladder cancer were interviewed prior to surgery using the Quality of Life Appraisal Profile. Patients also completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and demographics. Analysis included content coding of personal goal statements generated by the Appraisal Profile, examination of the relationship of goal attainment to content, and association of goal-based measures with QLQ-C30 scales.

RESULTS

Patients reported an average of 10 personal goals, reflecting motivational themes of achievement, problem solving, avoidance of problems, maintaining desired circumstances, letting go of roles and responsibilities, acceptance of undesirable situations, and attaining milestones. 503 goal statements were coded using 40 different content categories. Progress toward goal attainment was positively correlated with relationships and activities goals, but negatively correlated with health concerns. Associations among goal measures provided evidence for construct validity. Goal content also differed according to age, gender, employment, and marital status, lending further support for construct validity. QLQ-C30 functioning and symptom scales were correlated with goal content, but not with progress toward goal attainment, suggesting that patients may calibrate progress ratings relative to their specific goals. Alternately, progress may reflect a unique aspect of quality of life untapped by more standard scales.

CONCLUSIONS

The Brief Quality of Life Appraisal Profile was associated with measures of motivation, goal content and progress, as well as relationships with demographic and standard quality of life measures. This measure identifies novel concerns and issues in treating patients with bladder cancer, necessary for a more comprehensive evaluations of their health-related quality of life.

Defining early morbidity of radical cystectomy for patients with bladder cancer using a standardized reporting methodology

BACKGROUND

Reporting methodology is highly variable and nonstandardized, yet surgical outcomes are utilized in clinical trial design and evaluation of healthcare provider performance.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to define the type, incidence, and severity of early postoperative morbidities following radical cystectomy (RC) using a standardized reporting methodology.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Between 1995 and 2005, 1142 consecutive RCs were entered into a prospective complication database and retrospectively reviewed for accuracy. All patients underwent RC/urinary diversion by high-volume fellowship-trained urologic oncologists.

MEASUREMENTS

All complications within 90 d of surgery were analyzed and graded according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center complication grading system. Complications were defined and stratified into 11 specific categories. Univariate and multivariate regression models were used to define predictors of complications.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Sixty-four percent (735/1142) of patients experienced a complication within 90 d of surgery. Among patients experiencing a complication, 67% experienced a complication during the operative hospital admission and 58% following discharge. Overall, the highest grade of complication was grade 0 in 36% (n=407), grade 1-2 in 51% (n=582), and grade 3-5 in 13% (n=153). Gastrointestinal complications were most common (29%), followed by infectious complications (25%) and wound-related complications (15%). The 30-d mortality rate was 1.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical morbidity following RC is significant and, when strict reporting guidelines are incorporated, higher than previously published. Accurate reporting of postoperative complications after RC is essential for counseling patients, combined modality treatment planning, clinical trial design, and assessment of surgical success.

Potential impact of postoperative early complications on the timing of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients undergoing radical cystectomy: a high-volume tertiary cancer center experience

BACKGROUND

Perioperative cisplatin combination chemotherapy is associated with a survival benefit in patients with invasive bladder cancer (BCa). However, in a recent report from the National Cancer Database (NCDB), only 11.6% of stage III BCa patients received perioperative chemotherapy, the majority in the adjuvant setting.

OBJECTIVE

We explore the impact of postoperative complications on the timing of adjuvant chemotherapy.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

An independent review board approved the review of 1142 consecutive radical cystectomies (RC), and data from these cases were entered into a prospective complication database (1995-2005) which was utilized and retrospectively reviewed for accuracy at a single, academic, tertiary cancer center.

INTERVENTIONS

All patients underwent RC/urinary diversion by high-volume, fellowship-trained, urologic oncologists.

MEASUREMENTS

All complications within 90 d of surgery were defined and graded using a five-grade modification of the original Clavien system utilized at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and stratified into 11 categories. Grade 2-5 complications typically prohibit starting adjuvant chemotherapy. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to evaluate variables associated with complications.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Overall, 64% (735 of 1142 patients) experienced one or more complications, of which 83% (611 of 735) were grade 2-5. Furthermore, 57% of grade 2-5 complications (347 of 611) occurred between discharge and 90 d, 38% (233 of 611) within 6 wk, and 19% (114 of 611) between 6 wk and 12 wk, the general time frame for adjuvant chemotherapy. Overall, 26% (298 of 1142 patients) required readmission. Surgical morbidity at a high-volume tertiary cancer center may not reflect the case mix or surgical experience seen in the community setting.

CONCLUSION

This series demonstrates that 30% of patients (347 of 1142) undergoing RC may not have been able to receive adjuvant chemotherapy due to postoperative complications. This information should be taken into consideration when planning multimodal therapy and further supports the use of perioperative chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting.

Prognostic Risk Stratification and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Surgical Treatment for Renal Cell Carcinoma with Vascular Tumor Thrombus

OBJECTIVES

Approximately 4% to 10% of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) present with vascular tumor thrombus. Often, these patients also present with metastatic disease. This study examined the clinical outcome and morbidity of patients with RCC and vascular tumor thrombus treated with aggressive surgical therapy.

METHODS

From 1989 to 2006, 118 patients were identified with Stage pT3b or pT3c RCC who had undergone radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival were measured by Kaplan-Meier statistics with the log-rank test to assess differences in survival stratified by the clinical and pathologic variables. Cox regression techniques were used to identify significant predictors of DSS.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 18 months (range 1 month to 13.55 years). Tumor thrombus was at the level of the renal vein in 67 patients (56.8%), the infradiaphragmatic inferior vena cava in 39 (33%), and the supradiaphragmatic inferior vena cava in 12 patients (10%). Of the 118 patients, 42 (35.6%) presented with metastasis. The median tumor size was 8.2 cm. The 5-year overall survival rate was 40.7%. The 5-year DSS rate was 60.3% in those without metastasis and 10% in those with metastasis (P <0.001). The level of tumor thrombus did not significantly affect survival (P = 0.85). When the patients without metastasis were analyzed separately, nodal positivity (P = 0.03) and a tumor diameter greater than 7 cm (P = 0.05) were significant predictors of DSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the role of radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy in patients with RCC and vascular tumor thrombus. The absence of significant morbidity makes aggressive radical surgery feasible in the patients with tumor thrombus and metastatic disease. The current TNM staging system may need to be revised, given the evidence that the level of tumor thrombus invasion does not affect the survival outcomes.