Rosely De Los Santos

Long-term survival in patients undergoing radical nephrectomy and inferior vena cava thrombectomy: single-center experience.

BACKGROUND Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with a tumor thrombus extension into the inferior vena cava (IVC) demands aggressive surgical management. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the long-term survival in patients undergoing radical nephrectomy and IVC thrombectomy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We performed a retrospective analysis of 87 patients undergoing surgery between 1997 and 2008. The patients were grouped according to the extent of tumor thrombus, with level I involving the IVC at the level of the renal vein, level II being infrahepatic IVC, level III being intrahepatic IVC, and level IV being suprahepatic IVC or right atrium. Relevant clinical and pathologic data were analyzed. MEASUREMENTS Disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were studied. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS The median follow-up was 22 mo, and 19, 14, 40, and 14 patients had level I, II, III, and IV IVC thrombus, respectively. Among patients with M0 disease, 22 developed metastases. The 5-yr DFS was 64% for all levels and 74%, 69.5%, 59.5%, and 58% for levels I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Of the level I group, 16% of patients died of disease compared to 57% of the level IV group. The 5-yr DSS for all levels was 46% and 71%, 48%, 40%, and 35% for levels I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Patients with level IV thrombus had a significantly lower 5-yr DSS compared to level I (p=0.03). However, when analyzed in two groups-supradiaphragmatic and infradiaphragmatic-there was no significant difference in DSS (P=0.14). On univariate analysis, metastasis at presentation, non-clear-cell histology, lymph node metastases, and higher nuclear grade were statistically significant prognostic factors influencing DSS. Only higher nuclear grade (p=0.03), metastasis at presentation (p<0.01), and non-clear-cell histology (p=0.03) were independent prognostic factors on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS Radical nephrectomy and IVC thrombectomy offer reasonable long-term survival. The level of tumor thrombus is not an independent prognostic factor. Distant metastasis at presentation, higher nuclear grade, and non-clear-clear cell histology are significant prognostic factors influencing DSS.

Complete transurethral resection of bladder tumor: are the guidelines being followed?

OBJECTIVES To determine how often complete eradication of all visible tumors during transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is accomplished in a referral setting. The American Urological Association guidelines recommend complete eradication whenever possible. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent a second TURBT within 4 weeks of being referred to us. Relevant data such as residual tumor location, number, stage, and grade were collected and analyzed. Patients with muscle invasive tumor or known incomplete resection were excluded. RESULTS Forty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 75 years. In the initial TURBT, 35 (75%) had a high grade tumor and 12 (25%) had low grade tumors. Twenty-four (52%) were Ta and 23 (48%) were T1 tumors. Of the 47 patients who satisfied the criteria, 33 (70%) had an initial incomplete resection. Of these, 10 (30%) had macroscopic residual tumor at the resection site. Twenty-three (70%) had at least 1 unresected tumor away from the previous resection site. There were 39 unresected or partially resected tumors. Thirteen (33%) tumors were located in the anterior wall, 12 (31%) in the posterior wall and trigone, 10 (26%) in the lateral wall, 3 (7.5%) in the dome, and 1 (2.5%) in the prostatic urethra. CONCLUSIONS Although TURBT is a commonly performed operation, in this selected series, the incidence of unresected and gross residual tumor after initial TURBT is high. This indicates a need to emphasize the guidelines for a complete resection and to emphasize the use of a proper technique in this commonly performed urological procedure.

Comparison of Different Extraction Sites Used During Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy

PURPOSE Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is commonly performed for renal tumors that are not amenable to nephron sparing treatment. A number of techniques for intact specimen extraction are used. The development of incisional hernias from the extraction site is a known but infrequent delayed complication. We analyzed different extraction sites and risk factors for such hernias. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of patients undergoing laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with intact specimen extraction through 3 sites. Patients and operation specific parameters were included with particular attention to factors predisposing patients to incisional hernia, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic steroid use and a high body mass index. RESULTS A total of 181 nephrectomies were performed in 175 patients and 175 kidneys (96.7%) had malignancy. Mean tumor size was 4.9 cm. Mean followup was 28.8 months. Extraction was done from a lower quadrant site in 55 patients (31.4%), from the umbilical site in 58 (33.2%) and from a paramedian site in 62 (35.4%). Patients with paramedian and lower quadrant extraction sites were older (p = 0.016), and had a higher body mass index (p = 0.001) and greater specimen weight (p = 0.003). In 4 patients an incisional hernia developed. An incisional hernia was significantly associated with the paramedian extraction site (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS Incisional hernias may occur as a delayed complication of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. This complication most commonly develops at the extraction site. In patients with a high body mass index using a paramedian extraction site is a significant risk factor for incisional hernia formation.

Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy for Patients with T2 and T3 Renal-Cell Carcinoma: Evaluation of Perioperative Outcomes

PURPOSE Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) is considered standard of care for T1 renal tumors not amenable to nephron-sparing surgery. Indications are now expanding to include patients with T2 or T3 tumors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate LRN as a minimally invasive procedure for treatment of advanced stage renal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of a cohort of consecutive patients with renal tumors undergoing LRN for clinical stages T1 to T3. Parameters examined included patient demographics, medical comorbidities, tumor characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and complications. RESULTS In all, 252 kidneys were removed from 247 consecutive patients undergoing LRN; 246/252 (97.6%) kidneys contained renal-cell carcinoma and 55 (21.8%) patients had pT2/T3 disease. Mean pathologic tumor size in the T1 and T2/T3 groups was 4.1 and 7.8 cm, respectively. Compared with patients with T1 tumor, patients with T2/T3 tumor had higher body mass index (p = 0.010), higher specimen weight (p = 0.002), higher mean Fuhrman grade (p = 0.014), and more postoperative complications (p = 0.035). Mean blood loss for T1 and T2/T3 patients was 133 and 198 cc, respectively; 3/197 patients (1.5%) and 4/55 patients (7.3%) in the T1 and T2/T3 groups received blood transfusion, respectively (p < or = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS LRN for the treatment of clinical stage T2 and T3 disease should be considered. LRN can be safely performed with good perioperative outcome. Blood transfusion and complication rates are higher for LRN in pT2/T3 patients. However, the decision to modify surgical technique should be considered when either oncologic efficacy or patient safety is a concern.

Role of maximum androgen blockade in advanced prostate cancer

Androgen ablation is the mainstay treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PC). Researchers proposed that maximum androgen blockade (MAB) therapy with antiandrogen agent in combination with castration might result in a better outcome among patients with advanced PC. In the last two decades, numerous trials and pooled data analyses were conducted to optimize the role of MAB in the treatment of metastatic PC. Non-steroidal antiandrogens administered as part of MAB proved to have a small (3%) survival benefit, however, the magnitude of this difference is of questionable clinical significance. Available evidence suggests that MAB should not be routinely offered to patients with metastatic PC, however, it should remain a reasonable option when discussing management. The standard first line treatment should be a monotherapy, consisting of orchiectomy or LHRH agonist. MAB still has a role as a short-term therapy (2-4 weeks). The ongoing large sample population based prospective studies may add new dimensions in the use of MAB in treatment of the prostate cancer in future.