Techniques and outcomes of minimally-invasive surgery for nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava thrombosis: a systematic review of the literature

Robotic Vena Cava Thrombectomy with Three-dimensional Augmented Reality Guidance

Robotic surgery has recently been used for treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and neoplastic thrombus located in the renal vein or inferior vena cava (IVC). Accurate identification of the thrombus location is crucial, and three-dimensional augmented reality (3D AR) may be valuable in achieving this. We enrolled patients with nonmetastatic RCC and level 0-I venous thrombus (Mayo Clinic classification) for robot-assisted radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy with 3D AR guidance. Five patients were prospectively enrolled; three had a level 0 thrombus and two had a level I thrombus. The mean operative time was 123 ± 15 min, mean IVC clamping time was 9.4 ± 6.8 min, and mean estimated blood loss was 750 ± 150 ml. The AR system allowed precise estimation of the thrombus location in all cases. No intraoperative complications or postoperative Clavien-Dindo grade >2 complications occurred. Use of 3D AR guidance allowed correct estimation of the limits of the thrombus and guided the surgeon in selecting an appropriate surgical strategy.

Perioperative and oncologic outcomes of minimally-invasive surgery for renal cell carcinoma with venous tumor thrombus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative trials

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to conduct a pooled analysis to compare the perioperative and oncologic outcomes of minimally-invasive radical nephrectomy with tumor thrombus (MI-RNTT) with open radical nephrectomy with tumor thrombus (O-RNTT).

METHODS

This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library database) were systematically searched to identify relevant studies published in English up to December 2022. The primary outcomes were perioperative results, complications, and oncologic outcomes. Review Manager 5.4 was used for this analysis.

RESULTS

In total, eight retrospective trials with a total of 563 patients were included. Compared to O-RNTT, MI-RNTT had shorter hospitalization time [weighted mean difference (WMD) -3.58 days, 95% CI: -4.56 to -2.59; P <0.00001), lower volumes of blood loss (WMD -663.32 ml, 95% CI: -822.22 to -504.42; P <0.00001), fewer transfusion rates (OR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.09-0.35; P <0.00001), fewer overall complications (OR 0.33, 95% CI: 0.22-0.49; P <0.00001), and fewer major complications s (OR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24-1.00; P =0.05). However, operative time, intraoperative complications, mortality rate (intraoperative, within 30 days, and total mortality), overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and cancer-specific survival did not significantly differ between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

MI-RNTT possesses more benefits than O-RNTT in terms of length of hospital stay, blood loss, and complications and provides comparable mortality rates and oncologic outcomes. However, more comprehensive and rigorous research is warranted to further validate the outcomes, which should include a larger sample size and comprehensive data from high-volume medical centers.

Renal Cell Carcinoma with Venous Extension: Safety of Laparoscopic Surgery for Thrombus Levels I-IIIa

Background: Novel studies are helping to consider minimally invasive surgery for treating patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous tumor thrombus. Evidence regarding its feasibility and safety is still sparse and does not include a subclassification for level III thrombi. We aim to compare the safety of laparoscopic vs open surgery in patients with levels I-IIIa thrombus. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional comparative study using single-institutional data on adult patients treated surgically between June 2008 and June 2022. Participants were categorized into open and laparoscopic surgery groups. Primary outcome was difference in the incidence of 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo III-V) between groups. Secondary outcomes were differences in operative time, length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood transfusions, delta hemoglobin level, 30-day minor complications (Clavien-Dindo I-II), estimated overall survival, and progression-free survival between groups. A logistic regression model was performed including adjustment for confounding variables. Results: Overall, 15 patients in the laparoscopic group and 25 patients in the open group were included. Major complications occurred in 24.0% of patients within the open group and 6.7% of patients were treated laparoscopically (p = 0.120). Minor complications arose in 32.0% of patients treated with open surgery and in 13.3% of patients treated in the laparoscopic group (p = 0.162). Although not significant, there was a higher perioperative death rate within open surgery cases. The laparoscopic approach presented a crude odds ratio for major complications of 0.22 (95% confidence interval 0.02-2.1, p = 0.191) compared with open surgery. No differences were found between groups regarding oncologic outcomes. Conclusion: Laparoscopic approach for patients with venous thrombus levels I-IIIa seems to be as safe as open surgery.

Current Approaches in Surgical and Immunotherapy-Based Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma with Tumor Thrombus

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 2-3% of all malignant disease in adults, with 30% of RCC diagnosed at locally advanced or metastatic stages of disease. A form of locally advanced disease is the tumor thrombus (TT), which commonly grows from the intrarenal veins, through the main renal vein, and up the inferior vena cava (IVC), and rarely, into the right cardiac chambers. Advances in all areas of medicine have allowed increased understanding of the underlying biology of these tumors and improved preoperative staging. Although the development of several novel system agents, including several clinical trials utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors and combination therapies, has been shown to lower perioperative morbidity and increase post-operative recurrence-free and progression-free survival, surgery remains the mainstay of therapy to achieve a cure. In this review, we provide a description of specific surgical approaches and techniques used to minimize intra- and post-operative complications during radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy of RCC with TT extension of various levels. Additionally, we provide an in-depth review of the major developments in neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy-based treatment and the impact of ongoing and recently completed clinical trials on the surgical treatment of advanced RCC.

Interleukin 17 and Its Involvement in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Nowadays, molecular and immunological research is essential for the better understanding of tumor cells pathophysiology. The increasing number of neoplasms has been taken under ‘the molecular magnifying glass’ and, therefore, it is possible to discover complex relationships between the cytophysiology and immune system action. An example could be renal cell carcinoma (RCC) which has deep interactions with immune mediators such as Interleukin 17 (IL-17)—an inflammatory cytokine reacting to tissue damage and external pathogens. RCC is one of the most fatal urological cancers because of its often late diagnosis and poor susceptibility to therapies. IL-17 and its relationship with tumors is extremely complex and constitutes a recent topic for numerous studies. What is worth highlighting is IL-17’s dual character in cancer development—it could be pro- as well as anti-tumorigenic. The aim of this review is to summarize the newest data considering multiple connections between IL-17 and RCC.

The multispeciality approach to the management of localised kidney cancer

Historically, kidney cancer was approached in a siloed single-speciality way, with urological surgeons managing the localised stages of the disease and medical oncologists caring for patients if metastases developed. However, improvements in the management of localised kidney cancer have occurred rapidly over the past two decades with greater understanding of the disease biology, diagnostic options, and innovations in curative treatments. These developments are favourable for patients but provide a substantially more complex landscape for patients and clinicians to navigate, with associated challenging decisions about who to treat, how, and when. As such, the skill sets needed to manage the various aspects of the disease and guide patients appropriately outstrips the capabilities of one particular specialist, and the evolution of a multispeciality approach to the management of kidney cancer is now essential. In this Review, we summarise the current best multispeciality practice for the management of localised kidney cancer and the areas in need of further research and development.

Preoperative Prediction of Inferior Vena Cava Wall Invasion of Tumor Thrombus in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Radiomics Models Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Objective

To develop radiomics models to predict inferior vena cava (IVC) wall invasion by tumor thrombus (TT) in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods

Preoperative MR images were retrospectively collected from 91 patients with RCC who underwent radical nephrectomy (RN) and thrombectomy. The images were randomly allocated into a training (n = 64) and validation (n = 27) cohort. The inter-and intra-rater agreements were organized to compare masks delineated by two radiologists. The masks of TT and IVC were manually annotated on axial fat-suppression T2-weighted images (fsT2WI) by one radiologist. The following models were trained to predict the probability of IVC wall invasion: two radiomics models using radiomics features extracted from the two masks (model 1, radiomics model_IVC; model 2, radiomics model_TT), two combined models using radiomics features and radiological features (model 3, combined model_IVC; model 4, combined model_TT), and one radiological model (model 5) using radiological features. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were applied to validate the discriminatory effect and clinical benefit of the models.

Results

Model 1 to model 5 yielded area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.881, 0.857, 0.883, 0.889, and 0.769, respectively, in the validation cohort. No significant differences were found between these models (p = 0.108-0.951). The dicision curve analysis (DCA) showed that the model 3 had a higher overall net benefit than the model 1, model 2, model 4, and model 5.

Conclusions

The combined model_IVC (model 3) based on axial fsT2WI exhibited excellent predictive performance in predicting IVC wall invasion status.

Contemporary techniques and outcomes of surgery for locally advanced renal cell carcinoma with focus on inferior vena cava thrombectomy: the value of a multidisciplinary team

Objective

To report the outcomes of surgery for a contemporary series of patients with locally advanced non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated at a referral academic centre, focusing on technical nuances and on the value of a multidisciplinary team.

Methods

We queried our prospective institutional database to identify patients undergoing surgical treatment for locally advanced (cT3-T4 N0-1 M0) renal masses suspected of RCC at our centre between January 2017 and December 2020.

Results

Overall, 32 patients were included in the analytic cohort. Of these, 12 (37.5%) tumours were staged as cT3a, 8 (25.0%) as cT3b, 5 (15.6%) as cT3c, and 7 (21.9%) as cT4; 6 (18.8%) patients had preoperative evidence of lymph node involvement. Nine (28.1%) patients underwent nephron-sparing surgery while 23 (71.9%) received radical nephrectomy. A template-based lymphadenectomy was performed in 12 cases, with evidence of disease in 3 (25.0%) at definitive histopathological analysis. Four cases of RCC with level IV inferior vena cava thrombosis were successfully treated using liver transplant techniques without the need for extracorporeal circulation. While intraoperative complications were recorded in 3 (9.4%) patients, no postoperative major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥3) were observed. At histopathological analysis, 2 (6.2%) patients who underwent partial nephrectomy harboured oncocytoma, while the most common malignant histotype was clear cell RCC (62.5%), with a median Leibovich score of 6 (interquartile range 5–7).

Conclusion

Locally advanced RCC is a complex and heterogenous disease posing several challenges to surgical teams. Our experience confirms that provided careful patient selection, surgery in experienced hands can achieve favourable perioperative, oncological, and functional outcomes.

[Robot-assisted surgery for renal cell carcinoma - today a standard?]

Twenty years have passed since the first reports on robot-assisted kidney tumor surgery in 2001. However, robotic surgery has not spread to all German urologic departments yet. Hence, one has to question whether robot-assisted kidney tumor surgery can be considered a standard today. Until now, no prospective randomized controlled trials have compared robot-assisted radical nephrectomy with the open or laparoscopic approach. Regardless, laparoscopy and robotics both have proven better perioperative and comparable oncological outcomes than with open nephrectomy. In direct comparison, robot-assisted nephrectomy has no additional benefits over the laparoscopic approach and is less cost-effective. However, reports on robot-assisted level III or IV vena cava tumor thrombectomies illustrate that robotic surgery can be superior to the laparoscopic approach in highly complex interventions. Likewise, no prospective randomized controlled trials have analyzed robot-assisted partial nephrectomy yet. When conducted by experienced surgeons, robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomies can also have lower morbidity compared to the open approach. No consensus has been reached when directly comparing robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. However, evidence is increasing that robot-assisted partial nephrectomy can offer additional benefits, especially for the treatment of highly complex endophytic renal tumors. Thereof, head-to-head comparisons are often impacted by patient- and tumor-related factors, as well as the learning curve of the surgeon, bed-side assistant and the annual caseload of the department. Hence, one has to conclude that robot-assisted kidney tumor surgery has evolved into a standard procedure with good results. The perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted surgery are superior to the open technique at a comparable oncological follow-up. Even if robot-assisted interventions are often more expensive than laparoscopic surgery due to higher costs of acquisition, robotics have the potential to gain superior results especially in very complex tumor surgery. Due to expiring patent protections, new manufacturers and the development of new technologies, the market of robotic surgery will most likely undergo significant changes and its costs will probably decrease within the next years.

Radical nephrectomy and vena caval thrombectomy with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermic circulatory arrest: Experience at a large tertiary institution

Objective:

This study aimed to review the experience at a large regional tertiary centre of open radical nephrectomy (RN) with vena caval thrombectomy with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) for the management of renal masses.

Method:

Data on patients with renal masses who had undergone RN and vena caval thrombectomy with CPB and HCA had been prospectively collected at two centres over a 19-year period (2000–2019). Twenty-three consecutive patients were identified and retrospectively analysed for operative and tumour characteristics and for postoperative outcome. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was performed to compare patient outcomes based on tumour characteristics.

Results:

Median operating time was 358 minutes (interquartile range (IQR)=94 minutes), median bypass time was 117 minutes (IQR=28.5 minutes) and median circulation arrest time was 25 minutes (IQR=18.5 minutes). The median hospital length of stay was 11 days (IQR=5.3 days). Total complication rate was 52% ( n=12), consisting of four minor and eight major complications (Clavien–Dindo score >IIIa), including one intraoperative death. The overall five-year survival rate was 73% (11/15), with a median follow-up time of 53.1 months. Eleven (48%) patients were surgically cured, with a median follow-up time of 60.1 months (IQR=71.8 months). Disease recurrence was seen in eight (35%) patients, of whom four died. Patients who died survived for a median of 46.5 months. Median survival after the diagnosis of metastatic disease was seven months.

Conclusions:

We report the largest Australian cohort of RN with vena caval thrombectomy with CPB and HCA. We demonstrate outcomes comparable to major overseas centres, with an overall five-year survival rate of 73%. This suggests that even patients with extensive venal caval thrombus from renal masses can experience long-term survival benefit from RN and venal caval thrombectomy.

Level of evidence:

Level 3.

Bioethical implications of robotic surgery in urology: a narrative review

BACKGROUND

Robotic technologies are being increasingly implemented in healthcare, including urology, holding promises for improving medicine worldwide. However, these new approaches raise ethical concerns for professionals, patients, researchers and institutions that need to be addressed. The aim of this review is to investigate the existing literature related to bioethical issues associated with robotic surgery in urology, in order to identify current challenges and make preliminary suggestions to ensure an ethical implementation of these technologies.

METHODS

We performed a narrative review of the pertaining literature through a systematic search of two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) in August 2020.

RESULTS

Our search yielded 76 articles for full-text evaluation and 48 articles were included in the narrative review. Several bioethical issues were identified and can be categorized into five main subjects: 1) robotic surgery accessibility; 2) safety; 3) gender gap; 4) costs and 5) learning curve. 1) Robotic surgery is expensive, and in some health systems may lead to inequality in healthcare access. In more affluent countries the national distribution of several robotic platforms may influence the centralization of robotic surgery, therefore potentially affecting oncological and functional outcomes in low-volume centers. 2) There is a considerable gap between surgical skills and patients' perception of competence, leading to ethical consequences on modern healthcare. Published incidence of adverse events during robotic surgery in large series is between 2% and 15%, which does not significantly differ amongst open or laparoscopic approaches. 3) No data about gap differences in accessibility to robotic platforms were retrieved from our search. 4) Robotic platforms are expensive but a key reason why hospitals are willing to absorb the high upfront costs is patient demand. It is possible to achieve cost-equivalence between open and robotic prostatectomy if the volume of centers is higher than 10 cases per week. 5) A validated, structured curriculum and accreditation has been created for robotic surgery. This allows acquisition and development of basic and complex robotic skills focusing on patient safety and short learning curve.

CONCLUSIONS

Tech-medicine is rapidly moving forward. Robotic approach to urology seems to be accessible in more affluent countries, safe, economically sustainable, and easy to learn with an appropriate learning curve for both sex. It is mandatory to keep maintaining a critical rational approach with constant control of the available evidence regarding efficacy, efficiency and safety.

Assessment of predictors of renal cell carcinoma progression after nephrectomy at short and intermediate term follow-up and implication on surveillance protocols

BACKGROUND

Prediction of risk of RCC progression after surgery is important for follow-up planning. We identified predictors of progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in a large single institutional cohort and investigated patterns and sites of progression according to stage and grade.

METHODS

Node-negative non-metastatic clear-cell RCC (ccRCC) patients treated with radical or partial nephrectomy from 2000 to 2020 were included. Sites of progression were defined as thoracic, abdominal and others (bone/brain). Kaplan Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression (MCR) models tested for PFS and CSS.

RESULTS

Of 384 clear cell RCC N0M0 patients, 301 (78.4%) vs. 83 (21.6%) were pT1-2 vs. pT3-4, respectively; 253 (65.9%) vs. 130 (33.9%) were G1-G2 vs. G3-G4. Thoracic progressions occurred in 2.7% pT1-T2 vs. 21.7% pT3-T4 and 2.8% G1-G2 vs. 14.6% G3-G4 tumors. Abdominal progressions occurred in 4.0% pT1-T2 vs. 13.3% pT3-T4 and 4.3% G1-G2 vs. 9.2% G3-G4. Other progressions occurred in 0.3% pT1-T2 vs. 9.6% pT3-T4 and 0.8% G1-G2 vs. 5.4% G3-G4 (5.4%). Five-year PFS and CSS were 81.7 and 90.6%, respectively. At MCR models, pT3-4 (HR 9.1, p<0.001), G3-G4 (HR 2.7, p=0.003) and PSMs (HR 6.1, p<0.001) independently predicted PFS. Similarly, pT3-4 (HR 10.1, p<0.001), G3-G4 (HR 4.1, p=0.02), and PSMs (HR 5.2, p=0.04) independently predicted CSS.

CONCLUSIONS

In ccRCC N0M0 patients, G3-G4, pT3-4, PSMs were independent predictors of progression after surgery. Lower stage and grade ccRCCs progress predominantly in the abdominal sites and may be followed with less frequent extra-abdominal imaging compared to more advanced/aggressive tumors.

CTCs detection from intraoperative salvaged blood in RCC-IVC thrombus patients by negative enrichment and iFISH identification: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Intra-operative cell salvage (IOCS) and leukocyte-depleted filter (LDF) are widely used and effective in saving blood. However, the safety issue concerning reinfusion of IOCS-LDF processed blood to renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombus were inconclusive for fear of increased risk of cancer metastases. This study intends to analyze the circulating tumor cell (CTC) eliminating effect of IOCS-LDF in 5 RCC-IVC thrombus patients.

METHODS

A novel strategy integrating negative enrichment by immunomagnetic beads and immunostaining-fluorescence in situ hybridization with probes identifying aneuploid of 8 and/or 7 were used to detect CTCs from salvages blood. Blood samples were collected from 4 stages in each patient.

RESULTS

Of the 5 RCC patients, the number of CTCs decreased (from 3, 4, 10, 7, 3, respectively, to all zero) after IOCS-LDF treatment. The triploid of chromosome 7 and/or chromosome 8 were most common karyotype for RCC patients with IVC thrombus. Tetraploid of chromosome 8 occurred in only one sample and no polypoid (number of chromosome > 4) were found.

CONCLUSION

IOCS-LDF might be a promising way of reducing of allogeneic product transfusion based on current preliminary outcome. More convincing conclusions are to be drawn with enlarged sample size and long-term follow-up for patients prognosis.

Biomarkers for Renal Cell Carcinoma Recurrence: State of the Art

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We aim to summarize the current state of art about the possible use of biomarkers for predicting renal cell carcinoma (RCC) recurrence after curative treatment. In addition, we aim to provide a snapshot about the clinical implication of biomarkers use for follow-up planification.

RECENT FINDINGS

A wide variety of biomarkers have been proposed. RCC biomarkers have been individuated in tumoral tissue, blood, and urine. A variety of molecules, including proteins, DNA, and RNA, warrant a good accuracy for RCC recurrence and progression prediction. Their use in prediction models might warrant a better patients' risk stratification. Future prognostic models will probably include a combination of classical features (tumor grade, stage, etc.) and novel biomarkers. Such models might allow a more accurate treatment and follow-up planification.

Comparison between minimally-invasive partial and radical nephrectomy for the treatment of clinical T2 renal masses: results of a 10-year study in a tertiary care center

BACKGROUND

Even if partial nephrectomy (PN) is nowadays considered the standard for managing cT1 renal masses, its role in the management of cT2 kidney tumors is controversial. We aimed to compare oncologic and functional outcomes of minimally invasive radical nephrectomy (RN) and PN in cT2 renal masses.

METHODS

Patients with cT2 renal masses underwent minimally-invasive PN or RN performed by a highly experienced single surgeon from 2009 to 2019 were considered. Demographic, perioperative and functional variables were compared. Cumulative incidence plot and competing risks regression (CRR) models were used to test differences in 5-year cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and 5-year other-cause mortality (OCM) rates. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression model was used to test differences in 5-year progression free survival (PFS) rates.

RESULTS

Overall, 52 PN vs. 64 RN patients were identified. Relative to RN, PN patients recorded higher rates of complications (25% vs. 7.8%, P=0.02) but lower upstaging rate (≥pT3a 64.1% vs. 19.2%, P<0.0001). Functional outcomes were in favor of PN (all P<0.001). No differences were recorded between 5-year CSM and OCM according to nephrectomy type. At CRR models, older age and upstaging were independent predictors of 5-year OCM and CSM, respectively (all P<0.01). Finally, only upstaging, high grade tumors and presence of positive surgical margins were identified as independent predictors of 5-year PFS (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

In experienced hands the treatment of cT2 renal neoplasms with minimally-invasive PN is feasible, providing perioperative and oncological safety profiles comparable to RN, with advantages in terms of functional outcomes.

Current Trends in Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma with Venous Thrombus Extension

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the evidence regarding the current trends in surgical management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis. Recent published series have shown the role of minimally invasive surgery in IVC thrombectomy. This review article evaluates the present RCC with venous extent literature to assess the role of open and minimally invasive surgery in this scenario.

RECENT FINDINGS

Robotic urological surgery has shown to have known benefits in radical prostatectomy, partial nephrectomy, and pyeloplasty. Recent published series showed feasibility of robotic IVC thrombectomy even for level IV cases. With growing number of robot-assisted and laparoscopic surgeries worldwide, there is a current tendency to treat this complex and challenging pathology with a minimally invasive approach, without compromising oncological outcomes.

Triggers for delayed intervention in patients with small renal masses undergoing active surveillance: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Patients with small renal masses (SRM) can be exposed to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. As such, active surveillance (AS) is recommended by all Guidelines for selected patients. However, it remains underutilized. One key reason is the lack of consensus on the factors prompting delayed intervention (DI). Herein we provide an updated overview of the triggers for DI in patients with SRMs initially undergoing AS.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A systematic review of the English-language literature was performed according to the PRISMA statement recommendations using the MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science databases.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Overall, 10 prospective studies including 1870 patients were included. Median patient age ranged between 64 and 75 years, while median tumor size between 1.7 cm to 2.3 cm. The proportion of cystic SRMs ranged from 0% to 30%. Baseline renal tumor biopsy was performed in 7-45.2% of patients. Among these, malignant histology was found in 28.5%-83.3% of cases. Overall, the median growth rate of SRMs ranged between 0.10 and 0.27 cm/year. The proportion of patients undergoing DI ranged between 7% and 44%, after a median AS period of 12-27 months. The most commonly performed type of DI was surgery. Of resected SRMs, 0% to 30% were benign. The actual triggers for DI were either tumor-related (renal mass growth, stage progression, development of local complications/symptoms) or patient-related (patient preference, improved medical conditions, or qualification for other surgical procedures). At a median follow-up of 21.7 - 57-6 months, the proportion of patients experiencing metastatic disease, cancer-specific and other-cause mortality was 0-3.1%, 0-4% and 0-45.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The available evidence shows that both tumor-related and patient-related factors are ultimate triggers for DI in patients with SRMs undergoing AS. However, the level of evidence is still low and further research is needed to individualize AS strategies according to both tumor biology and patient-related characteristics and values.

Resection of Large Urological Tumors With or Without Inferior Vena Cava Extension in Jehova's Witnesses

Background: Renal and adrenal tumors with/without tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC) pose a challenge to the surgeon due to the potential for massive hemorrhage and tumor thromboemboli. The situation would be more critical for Jehovah's Witness (JW) patients which refuse blood transfusion. A transplant-based (TB) approach to these tumors in JWs would result a safe surgical method, providing limited blood loss and perioperative complications. We report our experience using a TB surgical approach in JW harboring large adrenal/renal tumors with/without tumor thrombus trying to determine its usefulness in this setting.

Patients and Methods: From 2003 to 2011, 7 patients underwent resection of renal/adrenal tumors with/without tumor thrombus in the IVC by means of a TB approach. Thrombus level was renal (n = 2), retrohepatic (n = 1), and suprahepatic (n = 1). The remaining 3 patients did not present thrombus. No pre-operative optimization or cell-saver were used. Estimated blood loss, perioperative complications (Clavien-Dindo and cause), hemoglobin/hematocrit loss, and length of stay were considered main outcomes.

Results: The intervention was successfully completed without transfusion in all cases. Operative time and blood loss were 2.5 h (range: 1.83–5.75) and 150 cc (range: 100–750), respectively. No major post-operative complications were registered. However, minor complications were detected in 57% of the patients included. Median hemoglobin loss was 1.13 mg/dL, which translated a median hematocrit loss of 2.3%. Patients were discharged in a median of 7 days (range 5–20).

Conclusions: A TB-surgical approach provides enhanced retroperitoneal exposure and optimal vascular control, thus limiting operative blood loss or major complication development, thus resulting useful in JWs.

Completely laparoscopic versus open radical nephrectomy and infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy: Comparison of surgical complexity and prognosis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the operation complexity and prognosis of completely laparoscopic versus open radical nephrectomy and infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy.

METHODS

We reviewed and analyzed the clinical data of 87 patients with infrahepatic tumor thrombus from January 2015 to April 2019 retrospectively. Completely laparoscopic infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy was completed in 41 cases, and open surgery was completed in 46 cases.

RESULTS

All 41 patients successfully completed laparoscopic operation, and there were no cases of death during the operation. The completely laparoscopic group were older, had smaller renal tumor diameter, shorter median operation time, lower median intraoperative hemorrhage volume, and lower median transfusion volume of suspended red blood cells compared with open surgeries. The proportion of low-level tumor thrombus (Mayo I) in the completely laparoscopic group was higher (63.4%), while the proportion of low-level tumor thrombus in the open surgery group was lower (30.4%) (P = 0.002). The postoperative complications incidence of laparoscopic surgery was 19.5%, which was lower than that of open surgery (47.8%) (P = 0.004). The mean cancer-specific survival time of the laparoscopic surgery group was 36.6 ± 2.5 months, while that of the open surgery group was 32.3 ± 2.7 months (P = 0.277). There was no statistical difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Although completely laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy is a challenging operation, it could be feasible and safely performed, especially in the hands of highly-experienced laparoscopic urologists for well selected cases.

Perioperative and oncologic outcomes of open radical nephrectomy and inferior vena cava thrombectomy with liver mobilization and Pringle maneuver for Mayo III level tumor thrombus: single institution experience

BACKGROUND

Scarce data are available regarding the technique and outcomes for patients with RCC and Mayo III caval thrombi. The aim of this study was to report surgical and oncological outcomes of RCC patients with Mayo III thrombi treated with radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy after liver mobilization (LM) and Pringle maneuver (PM).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of surgical technique, outcomes and cancer control in 19 patients undergoing LM and PM in a single tertiary care institution were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 78% of the patients had performance status ECOG 1 and 58% had a Comorbidity Index >2. Median surgical time was 305 minutes (IQR 264-440). Intraoperative complications were reported for 39% of patients and postoperative complications for 58% (only grade 1 and 2). Intensive Care Unit support was necessary in 16% of the cases. Median length of hospital stay was 9 days (IQR: 7-11). Thirty- and 90-day mortality were 5% and 15%. Two-year overall survival and cancer-specific survival were 60% and 62%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We reported surgical techniques, intra- and perioperative complications and follow-up in the largest cohort of RCC patients requiring LM and PM.

Robot-assisted versus open surgery for radical nephrectomy with level 1-2 vena cava tumor thrombectomy: a French monocenter experience (UroCCR study #73)

BACKGROUND

The aim of this paper was to assess the feasibility of robot-assisted radical nephrectomy (RN) with inferior vena cava thrombectomy (RRVCT) and compare perioperative and oncological outcomes of this approach to open surgery for renal tumors with level 1-2 inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombus.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of patients surgically treated for renal cancer with IVC level 1-2 thrombus in the Urology department of Bordeaux University Hospital between December 2015 and December 2019. Patients were stratified by surgical approach in two groups: open vs. robotic procedures. Pre-, per- and postoperative data were collected within the framework of the UroCCR project (NCT03293563). Univariate and multivariate analysis using regression models were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 40 patients underwent RN with IVC tumor thrombus. Open and robotic surgery represented respectively 30 and 10 cases. The two groups were comparable regarding pre-operative tumor and patient characteristics. Robotic procedures were associated with lower estimated blood loss (EBL) (500 vs. 1250 mL, P=0.02), shorter Intensive Care Unit stay (2 vs. 4 days, P=0.03) and decrease of global length of stay (LOS) (7 vs. 10 days, P<0.01). Operative Time (OT) was significantly longer in the robotic group (350.5 vs. 208 min, P<0.01). No difference were observed between the two approaches regarding complications and oncological outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic approach induced lower bleeding and shorter LOS but required longer OT. This technique is feasible and safe for selected cases and experimented surgical teams. Complications rate and oncological outcomes are not different compared to standard open procedures.

Laparoscopic conversion to open surgery in radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy: causal analysis, clinical characteristics, and treatment strategies

Background

We aimed to explore the causal analysis, clinical characteristics and treatment strategies of laparoscopic conversion to open approach (LCTOA) in radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy.

Methods

We included all patients with Mayo level I–III renal tumors with inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy as the first choice from May 2015 to July 2019.

Results

There were 70 cases of renal tumor with IVC tumor thrombus treated with a laparoscopic approach as the first choice; 31 Mayo level I, 30 Mayo level II, and 9 Mayo level III. A completely laparoscopic approach was performed in 51 cases (72.9%), and 19 cases (27.1%) underwent active or passive LCTOA. The LCTOA group had higher median preoperative serum creatinine (110.0 μmol/L vs 92.0 μmol/L; P = 0.026), longer postoperative hospital stay (9 days vs 7 days; P = 0.008), longer median operation time (374 min vs 311 min; P = 0.017), higher median intraoperative hemorrhage volume (1300 vs 600 ml; P = 0.020), and higher proportion of male patients (94.7% vs 66.7%; P = 0.016) vs the completely laparoscopic group, respectively. Although preoperative serum creatinine and gender were risk factors in the univariate analysis, multivariate analysis revealed no independent risk factors for LCTOA. We divided the reasons for LCTOA into active conversion and passive conversion; 4 (21.1%) cases underwent active conversion, and 15 (78.9%) underwent passive conversion. Most of the patients undergoing passive conversion had multiple concurrent risk factors, among which perirenal adhesion (30.9%), organ invasion (16.4%), and IVC adhesion (25.5%) were the most common. Fourteen (73.7%) cases underwent renal treatment, and 5 (26.3%) cases underwent tumor thrombus treatment.

Conclusions

The LCTOA group had a higher median preoperative serum creatinine concentration, longer hospital stay, longer median operation time, and higher median intraoperative hemorrhage volume. However, none of the predictors in our study was an independent risk factor for LCTOA. Perirenal adhesion, organ invasion, and IVC adhesion were the most common causes of LCTOA. Considering the limitations of this study, studies with large sample sizes are required to validate our conclusions.