Conservative Surgical Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma: Clinical Experience and Reappraisal of Indications

Abstract

During a 14-year period 36 patients who presented with renal cell carcinoma underwent conservative surgical treatment. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to treatment indications and condition of the contralateral kidney: group 1 included patients with a solitary kidney or bilateral tumors, group 2 patients had a damaged contralateral kidney and group 3 patients were without abnormalities of the contralateral kidney. Cumulative 6-year survival rates were 58 percent for group 1, and 90 percent for groups 2 and 3 combined. The over-all cumulative 6-year survival rate was 74 percent. Based on these data extension of the indication for conservative surgical treatment seems to be justified in patients who present with low stage tumors and partial or potential damage to the contralateral organ.