Prognostic Evaluation of the Site of Invasion in Pathological Stage T3a Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Background/aim: To investigate the prognostic values of fat invasion (FI) and renal vein invasion (RVI) in pT3a renal cell carcinoma (RCC), as single factors or concomitant presence.

Patients and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 173 patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy for RCC in our Institution.

Results: At a median follow-up time of 48 months, patients with RVI showed significantly increased risk of disease recurrence and worse cancer-specific survival (CSS) when compared to those with FI (p=0.007, p=0.022, respectively). Having combined RVI and FI did not show inferior prognosis compared to those with RVI only. In multivariable analysis, RVI was an independent factor for disease recurrence (HR=2.06, 95% CI=1.10-3.87, p=0.024) and CSS (HR=2.46, 95% CI=1.01-6.0, p=0.048).

Conclusion: For patients with T3a renal tumors, RVI was associated with inferior prognosis compared to those with FI.

Keywords: Fat invasion; pathological T3a; prognosis; renal cell carcinoma; renal vein invasion.