PURPOSE: Pathologic stage is the most accurate prognostic factor of renal cell carcinoma.
We evaluated whether perirenal fat infiltration is a significant factor in tumors 7 cm or less in size.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the record of 164 cases of tumors 7 cm or less in size. We divided the patients into two groups according to the presence of perirenal fat infiltration (group A, pT1; group B, pT3a). We evaluated relationships, recurrence-free survival and disease-specific survival according to clinicopathologic parameters. Statistical differences were calculated by log-rank test.
RESULTS: A total 131 patients were included in group A, with a mean age of 55.8 years, average tumor size was 4.2 cm, and a mean follow-up period of 43 months. Group B included 33 patients, with a mean age of 55.9 years, an average tumor size of 4.1 cm, and a mean follow-up period of 38 months. There was no significant difference in disease-specific survival; however, recurrence-free survival showed significantly different between two groups (group A: 95.5%, group B: 84.4%).
CONCLUSION: In this study, perirenal fat infiltration proved to be an independent prognostic factor for predicting disease-free survival in patients with tumors of 7 cm or less in size. Therefore, as this study showed, the presence of perirenal fat infiltration requires stricter follow-up planning, even in small renal cell carcinoma.
Written by:
Oh S, Yoon J, Kang D, Cho HL, Chung JI. Are you the author?
Department of Urology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan 614-735, Korea.
Reference: Yonsei Med J. 2012 Sep;53(5):940-3.
doi: 10.3349/ymj.2012.53.5.940
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22869476
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