Prediction of Perioperative Death Following Surgery for Renal Cell Carcinoma with Vein Involvement: A Retrospective Study

INTRODUCTION

Advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) shows a propensity for extending into the tributaries of the renal veins, which poses a notable surgical challenge. In this study we addressed the question as to whether patients with RCC and vein involvement can be identified as having a significant risk of immediate death associated with surgery preoperatively.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 118 patients with RCC and vein involvement from February 1999 until November 2012 were evaluated. The association of early mortality within 60 days after the intervention was tested with various covariates including: age, body mass index (BMI), preoperative serum C-reactive protein, preoperative serum creatinine, preoperative hemoglobin level, tumor diameter, suspicion of metastasis on prior computed tomography, documented cardiac insufficiency, extent of vein invasion, prior myocardial infarction, TNM stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, New York Heart Association classification and Karnofsky index. A multiple logistic regression model was used to test all risk factors including the combination of an elevated BMI with an impaired Karnofsky index with all covariates.

RESULTS

A total of 17 patients died within 60 days after the operation with most patients dying from cardio-embolic complications during the first two quartiles of the observation, while later deaths were mostly attributable to sequelae of surgical complications. None of the tested risk factors were significantly associated with early mortality in the logistic regression model. The presence of an elevated BMI (≥30 kg/m(2)) in combination with a Karnofsky index ≤70% predicted early death in univariate (p = 0.006) and multivariate analysis (p = 0.023). Death rates for patients with BMI <30 kg/m(2) and Karnofsky index >70%, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2) or Karnofsky index ≤70%, BMI ≥30 kg/m(2) and Karnofsky index ≤70% were 5%, 14.8% and 37.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The risk of early death is dramatically elevated to more than one-third of cases with elevated BMI and unfavorable Karnofsky index in patients with RCC and vein involvement. Patients need to be counseled in this regard especially when planning cytoreductive treatment without curative intent.

Age distribution for partial and radical nephrectomy: whose nephrons are being spared?

INTRODUCTION

Nephron sparing surgery (NSS) is recommended for patients with T1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) whenever surgically feasible. By analyzing data from all urological clinics in the whole state of Lower Saxony, Germany, regardless of clinic size or level of expertise, we investigated whether current practice reflects the need for NSS in older patients on a broader scale.

METHODS

From 2005 to 2010, more than 100 medical facilities and urological clinics in Lower Saxony, Germany were evaluated for their individual rates of partial nephrectomy (PN) and radical nephrectomy (RN) based on patient's age in 5-year intervals.

RESULTS

Sufficient data on age were available for 3,332 out of 3,693 patients with RCC undergoing surgery. PN rates for all patients and for those with T1 RCC were 19.9% and 29.5%, respectively. For all patients with RCC, the rates for PN and RN below the median age (<66.8 years) were 365 (21.9%) and 1,302 (78.1%) and above the median age were 297 (17.8%) and 1,368 (82.2%), respectively (P = 0.003). For patients with T1 RCC, the rates for PN and RN below the median age (<66.5 years) were 341 (32.6%) and 704 (67.4%) and above the median age were 277 (26.4%) and 774 (73.6%), respectively (P = 0.002). The highest rate for each type of surgery was seen in those aged 65-70 years, except for patients with T1 RCC receiving RN who were mostly operated on when aged 70-75 years.

CONCLUSION

The rate of PN for all patients with RCC in this series and especially for patients with T1 RCC is significantly lower in older patients, thereby not reflecting the need and understanding for NSS in the higher age segment. Broader education and teaching of NSS might improve treatment of RCC in the future.