Multifocality incidence and accompanying clinicopathological factors in renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Introduction: The incidence of multifocality and associated clinicopathological factors in renal cell carcinoma were evaluated.

Materials and methods: Clinicopathological characteristics were assessed for 122 renal cell carcinoma-pathological specimens from 121 patients. Microscopic and gross tumor pathology, incidence of multifocality as well as association between tumor grade, histological subtype, stage, size and vascular involvement were assessed.

Results: Multifocal renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 16 of 122 specimens (13.1%). Satellite lesions for 15 of 16 specimens displaying multifocality had the same histological subtype as their primary tumor. The occult multifocality rate was 11.4%. Tumor grade and stage, but not size or volume, histological subtype, and vascular involvement were significantly related to multifocality.

Conclusions: Accurate staging of renal cell carcinoma appears to be essential in determining whether a patient should undergo nephron-sparing surgery or radical nephrectomy. Patients with high stage and grade should receive the highest attention after nephron-sparing surgery. Larger studies are needed to further elucidate the association between clinicopathological factors and multifocality.