OUTCOME OF ISOLATED RENAL CELL CARCINOMA FOSSA RECURRENCE AFTER NEPHRECTOMY:

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for metachronous metastases after ipsilateral nephrectomy for renal-cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

While laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) is considered the standard of care for removal of small adrenal masses, there are minimal data describing the feasibility and outcomes of LA after previous ipsilateral nephrectomy (PIN). The purpose of the study was to describe the perioperative outcomes in a series of patients who were undergoing LA after PIN.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using an institutional database, we identified patients who underwent LA since 2002 by a single surgeon. Clinical and pathologic data were collected and analyzed. To evaluate outcomes, patients undergoing LA after PIN were compared with patients undergoing LA without PIN.

RESULTS

Of 54 consecutive patients undergoing LA, 8 had PIN for renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). Estimated blood loss was not significantly greater in patients with PIN: 50 mL vs 100 mL, P=0.109. Operative time was longer in patients with PIN: 120 minutes vs 156 minutes, P=0.015. There was no difference in length of hospital stay between groups: Median 2 days for both groups, P=0.635. One patient in the PIN group had a conversion to open adrenalectomy and needed blood transfusion. Perioperative complications were seen in 5/46 (10.6%) patients without and in 1/8 (12.5%) patients with PIN. Surgical margins were negative in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS

To the authors' knowledge, this study represents the largest experience with adrenalectomy in the reoperative setting. LA after PIN is associated with a longer operative time. While the potential for conversion is possible, it is technically feasible in selected patients and thus far appears to be associated with similar perioperative outcomes compared with patients without PIN.

Renal cell carcinoma local recurrences: impact of surgical treatment and concomitant metastasis on survival

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the survival benefit of resecting local recurrence (LR) of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the presence and absence of concomitant metastasis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 1989 to 2004 we identified 34 patients with LRs (2.9%) of the 1165 radical nephrectomies performed for T1-4N0M0 disease. Of these, 18 (53%) had no evidence of metastasis (isolated LR incidence, 1.5%) and 16 (47%) had synchronous metastasis. Of the 18 patients with no metastasis, 11 had complete surgical resection (group I) and seven had nonsurgical therapy (group II). Of the 16 patients with synchronous metastasis, five had surgery (group III) and 11 did not (group IV). Survival was projected using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test for each group.

RESULTS

Eight of the 34 patients (24%) were symptomatic. The T stage of the initial nephrectomy was T1a in two cases, T1b in six, T2 in five, T3a in six, T3b in eight, T4 in six and unknown in one; 22 patients (65%) had clear cell histology. There were no significant differences in median time to LR or the LR size among the groups. The median (range) follow-up was 16.9 (0.5-103.6) months. Of the 11 patients in group I, three remain with no evidence of disease, three are alive with metastatic disease, and five died from disease. By contrast, 21 of the 23 patients (91%) in groups II, III and IV died from disease. The overall estimated 1-, 3- and 5-year survivals were 63%, 31% and 18%. The median survival time was 71.4 months for group I, 9.9 for II, 16.3 for III, and 11.8 for IV (P < 0.01) with a 5-year survival of 62% for group I and 0% for groups II, III, and IV.

CONCLUSIONS

LR after radical nephrectomy is rare (2.9%) and has a poor prognosis. The presence of synchronous metastasis and nonoperative therapy are related to these low survival rates. However, if there is no metastatic disease, complete surgical resection of LRs is associated with improved survival.

Surgical excision of isolated renal-bed recurrence after radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To present our results on managing loco-regional recurrence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with surgical excision, as local recurrence at the site of a previous nephrectomy is resistant to both systemic therapy and radiotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 16 patients were operated on between 1994 and 2003 for local recurrence of RCC. The median (mean, range) age at the time of local recurrence was 57.9 (57.4, 28.9-71.7) years, and the median interval from primary surgery 2.22 (3.88, 0.27-14.46) years. Before surgery eight patients had been given systemic immunotherapy, with no response of their local recurrence.

RESULTS

Two patients were deemed inoperable because of direct invasion of the great vessels and the liver by tumour. The remaining 14 patients had recurrence in residual adrenal tissue (two), para-aortic nodes (three), para-caval nodes (two), retrocaval nodes (one), renal bed (six), liver, spleen and stomach (one each), and diaphragm (two). Although complete macroscopic en-bloc clearance was achieved in these patients, only eight had tumour-free margins on histological examination. The histology was consistent with RCC recurrence in all cases. All of the patients were followed with computed tomography at regular intervals. At a median follow-up of 1.0 (1.65, 0.25-6.5) years, five patients remain disease-free, four have local and distant relapse, and five developed distant metastasis only. The presence of tumour at the resection margin was a significant factor in predicting local and distant disease-free survival (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

En bloc excision of isolated locally recurrent RCC is possible, and complete surgical extirpation can lead to prolonged disease-free survival.

Resection of local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma in a hemodialysis patient 6 years after radical nephrectomy

Left radical nephrectomy was performed on a 39-year-old-man because of renal cell carcinoma (grade 1, clear cell and granular cell carcinoma: pT3b pN0 pM0), 6 years after the beginning of hemodialysis. The second surgical intervention for local recurrence was performed 6 years after the first operation (grade 2 > 3, clear cell and granular cell carcinoma). This is the second published case report of the resection of a local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy in a hemodialysis patient. Even after the curative operation, follow up for local recurrence should be continued in hemodialysis patients, especially for high stage renal cell carcinoma.

Resection of isolated fossa recurrence of renal-cell carcinoma after nephrectomy using hand-assisted laparoscopy

A 72-year-old woman with a body mass index of 33.6 had an apparently isolated renal fossa recurrence of a Grade II, Stage T(3) renal-cell carcinoma. The lesion was resected using hand-assisted laparoscopy with rapid recovery and good short-term results.