Small Renal Cancers Research Articles

Current status and challenges of 3D navigation in partial nephrectomy

Partial nephrectomy, a standard treatment for small renal cancers, has evolved through minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic and robot-assisted partial nephrectomy. The use of three-dimensional (3D) kidney models derived from preoperative computed tomography (CT) images has been investigated to improve surgical outcomes. This review explores various navigation techniques, such as 3D printing, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), to address organ movement and deformation challenges during surgery. Despite the promising positive impact of these methods, as revealed by a systematic review in 2022, achieving the desired navigation accuracy remains elusive. The use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, capable of overlaying the 3D model onto the surgical image in real-time, has shown potential. Still, we need advanced techniques, for instance, non-rigid 3D models employing nonlinear parametric deformation, to adapt to organ deformation. Additionally, the application of deep learning from artificial intelligence for high accuracy 3D navigation is an emerging area of interest. Although considerable progress has been achieved, a comprehensive, widely adoptable solution has yet to be discovered. The paper underscores the necessity for ongoing research and development in 3D navigation methods, anticipating their substantial contribution to future surgical procedures.

Risk of second cancers in long term survivors of neuroendocrine tumors of the large intestine.

600 Background: There is an increasing incidence of neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of the colon and rectum likely related to increased screening colonoscopy and availability of better diagnostics. Most of these tumors identified during screening are low grade early-stage tumors with high cure rates. Data on long term risk of recurrence of NET and other second cancers is lacking. We studied the incidence rates of all second malignancies in survivors of NET of the colon and rectum. Methods: We analyzed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER), Research Data 17 Registries, Nov 2022 Sub (2000-2022) to determine the risk of second malignancies in patients with an initial cancer diagnosis of NET of the colon and rectum. With these criteria we had overall 17,907 patients and 157,720 patient years of follow up. The relative risk of subsequent malignancies is reported as a standardized incidence ratio (observed incidence [O]/expected incidence [E]). Incidence ratios are analyzed over time from initial diagnosis to assess long term risk. Results: Survivors of NET of the large intestine are at highest risk of malignancy of the rectum (O/E: 6.4, CI: 7.26 - 5.21, N= 239) and this increased risk of rectal cancer persists even 10 years after the initial diagnosis (0/E: 3.8, CI: 5.37- 2.6, N= 32). There is no increased risk of cancer of the colon excluding rectum (O/E: 0.98, CI: 1.18-0.81, N= 114). Even after 10 years from diagnosis there is increased risk of recurrence of the NET of the Colon (O/E: 1.28, CI: 1.55-1.06, N=110) and NET of the Rectum (O/E: 1.12, CI: 1.23- 1.02, N= 433). There is also increased incidence of small intestine cancer (O/E: 2.92, CI: 4.17- 1.97, N=30), Prostate cancer (O/E: 1.28, CI: 1.41- 1.15, N=400), Kidney and renal pelvis cancer (O/E: 1.53, CI: 1.86 -1.25, N= 104), Thyroid cancer (O/E: 1.63, CI: 2.12-1.23, N= 55) and Nodal Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (O/E: 1.34, CI: 1.71-1.03, N=64). Conclusions: Survivors of NET of the large intestine are at risk of developing subsequent malignancies. The information presented may help physicians in effectively monitoring survivors for second cancers at various timeframes from their initial diagnosis.

Multiphase CT radiomics nomogram for preoperatively predicting the WHO/ISUP nuclear grade of small (< 4 cm) clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BackgroundSmall (< 4 cm) clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of small renal cancer and its prognosis is poor. However, conventional radiological characteristics obtained by computed tomography (CT) are not sufficient to predict the nuclear grade of small ccRCC before surgery.MethodsA total of 113 patients with histologically confirmed ccRCC were randomly assigned to the training set (n = 67) and the testing set (n = 46). The baseline and CT imaging data of the patients were evaluated statistically to develop a clinical model. A radiomics model was created, and the radiomics score (Rad-score) was calculated by extracting radiomics features from the CT images. Then, a clinical radiomics nomogram was developed using multivariate logistic regression analysis by combining the Rad-score and critical clinical characteristics. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the discrimination of small ccRCC in both the training and testing sets.ResultsThe radiomics model was constructed using six features obtained from the CT images. The shape and relative enhancement value of the nephrographic phase (REV of the NP) were found to be independent risk factors in the clinical model. The area under the curve (AUC) values for the training and testing sets for the clinical radiomics nomogram were 0.940 and 0.902, respectively. Decision curve analysis (DCA) revealed that the radiomics nomogram model was a better predictor, with the highest degree of coincidence.ConclusionThe CT-based radiomics nomogram has the potential to be a noninvasive and preoperative method for predicting the WHO/ISUP grade of small ccRCC.

The Prognostic Value of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio for Small Renal Cell Carcinomas after Image-Guided Cryoablation or Radio-Frequency Ablation

There is a lack of cheap and effective biomarkers for the prediction of renal cancer outcomes post-image-guided ablation. This is a retrospective study of patients with localised small renal cell cancer (T1a or T1b) undergoing cryoablation or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) at our institution from 2003 to 2016. A total of 203 patients were included in the analysis. In the multivariable analysis, patients with raised neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) pre-operatively, post-operatively and peri-operatively are associated with significantly worsened cancer-specific survival, overall survival and metastasis-free survival. Furthermore, an increased PLR pre-operatively is also associated with increased odds of a larger than 25% drop in renal function post-operatively. In conclusion, NLR and PLR are effective prognostic factors in predicting oncological outcomes and peri-operative outcomes; however, larger external datasets should be used to validate the findings prior to clinical application.

Chinese expert consensus on perioperative management of renal tumor cryoablation (2022 edition)

In recent years, the incidence of renal cancer has been increasing continuously. Surgical resection is the "gold standard" for the treatment of small renal cancer. However, local ablation therapy of renal cancer is undoubtedly the best choice for patients with short life expectancy, other complications, and impaired renal function who are not suitable for surgery. In recent years, with the development of ablation techniques and long-term follow-up, local ablation has shown good therapeutic effects. As many domestic hospitals are performing or planning to perform renal tumor cryoablation to improve the clinical cure rate and surgical safety of renal tumor cryoablation, it is necessary to standardize the surgical indications, contraindications, perioperative management, efficacy evaluation, and other common problems. Currently, there is no expert consensus regarding perioperative renal tumor cryoablation in China. To standardize the perioperative management of renal tumor cryoablation and related technical operations in clinical practice, and improve the effectiveness and safety of cryoablation, the expert committee of Tumor Interventional and Minimally Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Continuing Education Base of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association convened experts in related fields to discuss and formulate this consensus, which is hereby published, for clinical reference and application.

The feasibility and safety of adopting the left lumbar vein to localize the renal artery location during left transperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy

BackgroundLaparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) is the standard of care for localized small renal cancer. The most critical step in this form of surgery is to localize the renal artery. In the present study, we describe a novel technique that uses the left lumbar vein (LV) to access the left renal artery during LPN.Materials and methodsThis was a retrospective review of 130 cases of transperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomies (TLPNs) performed on patients with renal cancer in our center between January 2018 and December 2021. Either the LV or non-lumbar vein (N-LV) technique was used to locate and manage the left renal artery. We recorded relevant clinical data from all patients, including patient characteristics, tumor data, and perioperative outcomes (artery mobilization time, operative time, estimated blood loss, and complications). Comparative analysis was then carried out between the cases using LV or N-LV vein techniques.ResultsAll TLPNs were successfully accomplished without conversion to open approaches. There were no complications involving the renal vessels during the entire study. The LV technique resulted in a significantly shorter time to mobilize the renal and significantly less estimated blood loss (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two techniques with regard to perioperative complications.ConclusionThe left LV represents an anatomical landmark for locating the left renal artery in TLPN. This approach has numerous advantages over the transperitoneal approach including facilitating access to the left renal artery and reducing the duration of surgery.

Survival benefits of primary tumor surgery for synchronous brain metastases: A SEER-based population study with propensity-matched comparative analysis.

Evidence about the prognostic value of primary tumor surgery (PTS) in patients with brain metastatic malignancies is ambiguous and controversial. This study assessed the survival benefits of primary tumor surgery in patients with brain metastases (BMs). Adults patients with BMs that originated from lung, breast, kidney, skin, colon, and liver diagnosed between 2010 and 2018 were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the bias between patients with or without PTS. Then the prognostic value of PTS was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression models. A total of 32,760 patients with BMs secondary to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), breast cancer, renal cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer were identified from the database. After PSM at 1:1 ratio, PTS appeared to significantly prolong cause-specific survival (CSS) time for patients with BMs secondary to NSCLC, breast cancer, renal cancer, and colorectal cancer (hazard ratio [HR]=0.60 [0.53-0.68], 0.56 [0.43-0.73], 0.47 [0.37-0.60], and 0.59 [0.37-0.95], respectively, all p < 0.05). Patients with earlier T and N classifications, no extracranial metastasis, and cancer-specific subtypes (adenocarcinoma in NSCLC, hormone receptor-negative breast cancer) may derive more survival benefits from PTS when suffering from BMs. This population-based study supported PTS could provide survival benefits for patients with BMs secondary to NSCLC, breast cancer, renal cancer, and colorectal cancer. More emphasis should be put on PTS of selected patients with BMs.

Protocol for the Flinders Kidney Health Registry: patient outcomes of kidney cancers and nephrectomies

BackgroundKidney cancer accounts for 2% of new cancers diagnosed in Australia annually. Partial and radical nephrectomy are the treatment of choice for kidney cancer. Nephrectomy is also performed for living donor kidney transplantation. Nephrectomy is a risk factor for new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) or deterioration of pre-existing CKD. Understanding the risk factors for new-onset or deterioration of existing CKD after nephrectomy is important in developing preventive measures to provide better care for these patients. There is also a need to understand the incidence, natural history, management trends, and sequelae of radiofrequency ablation as well as surveillance of small renal cancers or small renal masses (SRMs). Clinical registries are critical in providing excellent patient-centre care and clinical research as well as basic science research. Registries evaluate current practice and guide future practice. The Flinders Kidney Health Registry will provide the key information needed to assess various treatment outcomes of patients with kidney cancer and patients who underwent nephrectomy for other reasons. The registry aims to provide clinical decision makers with longitudinal data on patient outcomes, health systems performance, and the effect of evolving clinical practice. The registry will also provide a platform for large-scale prospective clinical studies and research.MethodsPatients above the age of 18 undergoing nephrectomy or radiofrequency ablation for any indication and patients with SRMs will be included in the registry. Demographic, clinical and quality of life data will be collected from hospital information systems and directly from the patient and/or caregiver.DiscussionThe Registry will report a summary of patient characteristics including indication for treatment, clinical risk profiles, surgical and oncological outcomes, the proportion of patients who progress to CKD and end stage kidney disease, quality of life post treatment as well as other relevant outcomes for all patients who have undergone nephrectomy for any indication, ablation or surveillance for SRMs. The registry will record the follow-up practice after nephrectomy and patient on active surveillance, which will help to develop and enhance a best practice protocol. The collected prospective data will provide a platform for ongoing patient-orientated research and improve patient-centred healthcare delivery.

Antiplatelet medications and risk of intracranial hemorrhage in patients with metastatic brain tumors

AbstractAlthough intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is frequent in the setting of brain metastases, there are limited data on the influence of antiplatelet agents on the development of brain tumor–associated ICH. To evaluate whether the administration of antiplatelet agents increases the risk of ICH, we performed a matched cohort analysis of patients with metastatic brain tumors with blinded radiology review. The study population included 392 patients with metastatic brain tumors (134 received antiplatelet agents and 258 acted as controls). Non–small cell lung cancer was the most common malignancy in the cohort (74.0%), followed by small cell lung cancer (9.9%), melanoma (4.6%), and renal cell cancer (4.3%). Among those who received an antiplatelet agent, 86.6% received aspirin alone and 23.1% received therapeutic anticoagulation during the study period. The cumulative incidence of any ICH at 1 year was 19.3% (95% CI, 14.1-24.4) in patients not receiving antiplatelet agents compared with 22.5% (95% CI, 15.2-29.8; P = .22, Gray test) in those receiving antiplatelet agents. The cumulative incidence of major ICH was 5.4% (95% CI, 2.6-8.3) among controls compared with 5.5% (95% CI, 1.5-9.5; P = .80) in those exposed to antiplatelet agents. The combination of anticoagulation plus antiplatelet agents did not increase the risk of major ICH. The use of antiplatelet agents was not associated with an increase in the incidence, size, or severity of ICH in the setting of brain metastases.

First-in-human study of PM14 in patients with advanced solid tumors.

3078 Background: PM14 is a new chemical entity that forms DNA adducts which specifically inhibit RNA synthesis and block active transcription of protein-coding genes. Antitumor activity has been demonstrated in vitro in several cell lines (e.g. lung, kidney, prostate), and in vivo in mice bearing xenografted human-derived tumors (soft tissue sarcoma, small cell lung cancer, ovarian, gastric, breast and renal cancer). Methods: Open-label, dose-escalating, phase I trial of PM14 administered as a 3-hour infusion i.v. every 3 weeks (q3wk) in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors, adequate organ function and ECOG PS score of 0-1. Two schedules were explored: Schedule A (Day 1 [D1], Day 8 [D8]) and Schedule B (D1). Results: 37 pts were treated (Schedule A/B: 28/9 pts). Baseline characteristics of pts (A/B): median age 56/47 years; male 57%/56%; ECOG PS 0: 57%/56%; median of prior lines (range): 3 (1-8)/4 (1-10). Most common tumor types (A + B): STS (n=7 pts), ovarian (n=6), pancreatic (n=4), prostate cancer (n=3). The maximum tolerated dose was 4.5 mg/m2 for A (dose-limiting toxicities [DLTs]: D8 omission due to lack of recovery of lab parameters for re-treatment [n=2 pts]) and 5.6 mg/m2 (DLTs: G4 febrile neutropenia [n=1], G4 transaminase increase [n=1]) for B. The recommended dose (RD) was 3.0 mg/m2 on D1,D8 (A), and 4.5 mg/m2 on D1 (B). No DLTs were present at the RDs. Most common toxicities were hematological abnormalities and transaminase increase. Main toxicities at the RDs are shown below. Antitumor activity comprised stable disease ≥4 months in 7 heavily pretreated pts (6 in A; 1 in B) at all dose levels. Linear pharmacokinetics were observed for PM14 at tested doses (0.25-5.6 mg/m²), with geometric mean (CV%) total plasma clearance 5.9 L/h (88%), volume of distribution 128 L (81%) and median (range) terminal half-life 15.9 h (7.5-34.3 h). Less than 1.6% of administered dose was recovered in urine. Conclusions: RDs were determined for two PM14 schedules in pts with advanced solid tumors. At the RDs, PM14 is well tolerated and has a manageable safety profile. An expansion phase in specific tumor types, with an optional Bayesian continual reassessment method for RD fine-tuning, is ongoing with both schedules.[Table: see text]

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC): a mid-term clinical experience

ObjectivesTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of CT-guided IRE of clinical T1a (cT1a) renal tumours close to vital structures and to assess factors that may influence the technical success and early oncological durability.MethodsCT-guided IRE (2015–2020) was prospectively evaluated. Patients’ demographics, technical details/success, Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification of complications (I–V) and oncological outcome were collated. Statistical analysis was performed to determine variables associated with complications. The overall 2- and 3-year cancer-specific (CS), local recurrence-free (LRF) and metastasis-free (MF) survival rates are presented using the Kaplan-Meier curves.ResultsThirty cT1a RCCs (biopsy-proven/known VHL disease) in 26 patients (age 32–81 years) were treated with IRE. The mean tumour size was 2.5 cm and the median follow-up was 37 months. The primary technical success rate was 73.3%, where 22 RCCs were completely IRE ablated. Seven residual diseases were successfully ablated with cryoablation, achieving an overall technical success rate of 97%. One patient did not have repeat treatment as he died from unexpected stroke at 4-month post-IRE. One patient had CD-III complication with a proximal ureteric injury. Five patients developed > 25% reduction of eGFR immediately post-IRE. All patients have preservation of renal function without the requirement for renal dialysis. The overall 2- and 3-year CS, LRF and MF survival rates are 89%, 96%, 91% and 87%.ConclusionCT-guided IRE in cT1a RCC is safe with acceptable complications. The primary technical success rate was suboptimal due to the early operator’s learning curve, and long-term follow-up is required to validate the IRE oncological durability.Key Points• Irreversible electroporation should only be considered when surgery or image-guided thermal ablation is not an option for small renal cancer.• This non-thermal technique is safe in the treatment of small renal cancer and the primary technical success rate was 73.3%.• This can be used when renal cancer is close to important structure.

Triage of urology service to cope with COVID-19 pandemic: A single institution study.

Almost a year ago, no one has ever heard of COVID-19 but now, every individual in the world is familiar with this term. It is far from over and yet, it has affected every aspect of human life. The Department of Urology at King's College Hospital London provides all types of urology care ranging from benign to cancer treatments to the community. However, this service was badly affected by COVID-19. Policies were made by the experts in the field to reduce patient traffic in the hospital and at the same time, attempting to ensure appropriate and timely treatment was provided to patients suffering from urological conditions requiring urgent attention. In this article, we discuss the triage guidelines set up at our centre. Treatments for benign conditions such as kidney stones were delayed for 3-6 months. For the first time, telephone and video clinics were setup to follow-up patients with benign conditions. Urological emergencies such as acute urinary retention and priapism were discharged from accidental and emergency department after treatment. Small T1 renal cancers were put on surveillance, whereas T2 and T3 renal cancers were offered nephrectomy at a COVID-free specialized center. Transurethral removal of bladder tumor was offered only for solid or actively bleeding tumor. High risk prostate cancer patients were started on hormonal therapy and radiotherapy was only offered for spinal cord compression secondary to metastasis. Low and intermediate non-metastatic prostate cancers were placed on active surveillance. Patients with testicular tumor continued to have immediate inguinal orchidectomy. The multi-disciplinary meetings were done remotely using blue jeans software®. These steps not only strive to provide adequate and timely urology care to patients but also protect health care workers and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

MET-02 Neoadjuvant fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy followed by surgery for large brain metastasis with difficulty in en-block resection

BACKGROUND: Large brain metastases which require resection are treated with surgery followed by whole brain radiation therapy or postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Recently a novel strategy using neoadjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery (Na-SRS) followed by surgery was reported, demonstrating lower rates of postoperative leptomeningeal dissemination (LMD) and symptomatic radiation necrosis (sRN). However, local control rate was not significantly improved. We treated with neoadjuvant fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (Na-frSRT) followed by surgery for large brain metastasis with difficulty in en-block resection.METHODS: Nine patients received Na-frSRT followed by surgery between July 2019 and June 2020. Na-frSRT dose was based on lesion size and was standard dosing. Surgery generally followed within 7 days after radiotherapy.RESULTS: The mean age was 64 years (55–78). Eight men and one woman. Median follow-up period was 5.3 months (1.7–12.5). Primary cancers were non-small cell lung cancer 2, esophageal cancer 2, colon cancer 1, melanoma 1, hepato-cellular carcinoma 1 and recurrence of BM from small cell lung cancer and renal cell cancer. The median maximum tumor diameter was 4.3cm (2.6–4.9). The median SRT dose was 30Gy/5fr, and the median time from SRT to surgery was 4 days (1–7). Median PTV was 15.4ml (5.6–49.7), and median GTV was 21.7ml (8.6–61.4). As preoperative adverse event, intracranial hypertension grade2 (CTCAE ver.4.0) was occurred one patient, but controlled with steroid and osmotic diuretics. Grade 3 and more adverse events were not occurred. Gross total resection with intra-tumoral decompression and piece-meal technique was performed in all cases as planning. Event cumulative incidence as follows: surgical site recurrence 0%; local recurrence 11.1%; distant brain failure 11.1%; LMD 0%; and sRN 0%. The median overall survival was not reached.CONCLUSIONS: Na-frSRT followed by surgery is safety and feasible, and may have therapeutic value for large brain metastasis. Further prospective investigations in multi-institutional settings are warranted.

Single-Site Sutureless Partial Nephrectomy for Small Exophytic Renal Tumors.

Partial nephrectomy (PN) is the standard procedure for most patients with localized renal cancer. Laparoscopy has become the preferred surgical approach to target this cancer, but the steep learning curve with laparoscopic PN (LPN) remains a concern. In LPN intracorporeal suturing, the operation time is further extended even under robot assistance, a step which prolongs warm ischemic time. Herein, we shared our experience to reduce the warm ischemia time, which allows surgeons to perform LPN more easily by using a combination of hemostatic agents to safely control parenchymal bleeding. Between 2015 and 2018, we enrolled 52 patients who underwent LPN in our hospital. Single-site sutureless LPN and traditional suture methods were performed in 33 and 19 patients, respectively. Preoperative, intra-operative, and postoperative variables were recorded. Renal function was evaluated by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) pre- and postoperatively. The average warm ischemia time (sutureless vs. suture group; 11.8 ± 3.9 vs. 21.2 ± 7.2 min, p < 0.001) and the operation time (167.9 ± 37.5 vs. 193.7 ± 42.5 min, p = 0.035) were significantly shorter in the sutureless group. In the sutureless group, only 2 patients suffered from massive urinary leakage (>200 mL/day) from the Jackson Pratt drainage tube, but the leakage spontaneously decreased within 7 days after surgery. eGFR and serum hemoglobin were not found to be significantly different pre- and postoperatively. All tumors were removed without a positive surgical margin. All patients were alive without recurrent tumors at mean postoperative follow-ups of 29.3 ± 12.2 months. Single-site sutureless LPN is a feasible surgical method for most patients with small exophytic renal cancer with excellent cosmetic results without affecting oncological results.

Perioperative and Long-Term Outcomes of Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: A Systematic Review.

Adoption of the robotic surgical platform for small renal cancers has rapidly expanded, but its utility compared to other approaches has not been established. The objective of this review is to assess perioperative and long-term oncologic and functional outcomes of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) compared to laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) and open partial nephrectomy (OPN). A search in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane (2010-2019) was conducted. Of 3877 articles screened, 7 observational studies were included. RAPN was associated with 24-50 mL less intraoperative blood loss compared to LPN and 39-84 mL less than OPN. RAPN also demonstrated trends of other postoperative benefits, such as shorter length of stay and fewer major complications. Several studies reported better long-term functional kidney outcomes, but these findings were inconsistent. Recurrence and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were similar across groups. While RAPN had a 5-year CSS of 90.1%-97.9%, LPN and OPN had survival rates of 85.9%-86.9% and 88.5-96.3% respectively. RAPN may be associated with a lower estimated blood loss and comparable long-term outcomes when compared to other surgical approaches. However, additional randomized or propensity matched studies are warranted to fully assess long-term functional kidney and oncologic outcomes.

Percutaneous Renal Ablation

Incidental small renal cell cancers are increasingly being diagnosed on cross-sectional imaging. This review article describes the indications for percutaneous ablation of small renal cell cancers, choice of ablation technologies and imaging follow-up.

Comparison of Hilar Clamping Techniques in Partial Nephrectomy: Is Artery Only Clamping Beneficial?

Hilar clamping is widely adopted in open partial nephrectomy, which is a treatment option for small renal cancer to reduce blood loss and improve surgical exposure, but whether to clamp either only artery or both artery and vein remains controversial. The purpose of this study is to determine whether artery only (AO) clamping is more beneficial than en bloc clamping by comparing perioperative variables in patients who underwent partial nephrectomy with either AO clamping or en bloc clamping. Eighty-eight patients with T1 renal tumor who underwent open partial nephrectomy with either AO or en bloc clamping between 2015 and 2018 at our institution were enrolled. They were randomly divided into two groups: AO group (n = 43) and artery and vein (AV) group (n = 45). Renal function was evaluated by serum creatinine (SCr) and differential renal function as determined by mercaptoacetyltriglycine renogram. AO clamping was associated with less total renal functional decrease until postoperative 7th day (P < 0.05). After postoperative 15th day, however, there was no significant difference in total renal functional impairment between AO and AV groups. There was also no significant difference in differential renal function change. Furthermore, AO clamping caused more blood loss and hemoglobin (Hb) decrease than en bloc clamping (P < 0.05). AO clamping is no more beneficial than en bloc clamping in partial nephrectomy, presenting with not significantly better long-term postoperative renal function than en bloc clamping.

Dosimetric Comparison of Robotic Radiosurgery and VMAT Delivering Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiation Therapy to Small Renal Cancer

Dosimetric Comparison of Robotic Radiosurgery and VMAT Delivering Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiation Therapy to Small Renal Cancer

Classification of positive surgical margins and tumor recurrence after nephron-sparing surgery for small renal masses.

BackgroundThe association of positive margin and local recurrence after nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) remains a notably controversial issue. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between classification of positive surgical margins (PSMs) and tumor recurrence based pathological findings.MethodsClinical, pathological, and follow-up data of 600 small renal cancer patients who underwent NSS between November 2007 and November 2017 at four hospitals in China were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsOf the 600 reviewed patients, 20 had positive margins. During the follow-up period of 56 months, only three cases of tumor recurrence were identified. Pathological examination was performed, and subsequently a new classification criteria were proposed: 1) False PSMs, which could be further divided into three subtypes: i) no standard processing performed on pathological specimens (seven patients); ii) incidental incision into the tumor during operation, with the tumor bed free of tumor residues (four patients); iii) part of the tumor pseudocapsule was noted to be remained in the tumor bed, with no signs of tumor residue (four patients). 2) True PSMs with two subtypes: i) a large number of residual tumor cells at the surgical margin (three patients); ii) incision of satellite tumor nodules detected around a large tumor (two patients).ConclusionTaken together, PSMs in NSS were rarely found. Based on the pathological examination findings, PSMs can be divided into false positive and true positive. This being said, PSMs were determined to be poor predictors for local recurrence, with no predominant association with true tumor remnants in the majority of our evaluated cases. Through the key findings of our study, we concluded that PSMs should be carefully analyzed and treated on a case-by-case basis.

Comparation of radiofrequency ablation and partial nephrectomy for the treatment of early small renal cell cancer: a Meta-analysis

Objective To systematically compare the clinical efficacy of radiofrequency ablation and partial nephrectomy in the treatment of early small renal cell carcinoma. Methods The clinical data of radiofrequency ablation and partial nephrectomy in the treatment of small renal cell carcinoma were searched in PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI Digital Library and Wanfang Database from the inception to be March 2017. The relevant literature search strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria were established by two independent researchers, meanwhile, the quality of the included literature was evaluated. The tumor diameter, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, renal function injury (glomerular filtration rate decline) and local recurrence control rate were calculated by RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 17 retrospective cohort studies met the criteria and were included in the our research. Early small renal cell carcinoma in 3253 cases, of which 1158 cases in radiofrequency ablation group, 2095 cases in partial nephrectomy group. The results of this meta-analysis showed that radiofrequency ablation and partial nephrectomy had no statistically significant difference in tumor diameter [WMD = -0.23, 95% CI (-0.53, 0.07), P=0.13]. The radiofrequency ablation was significantly better than partial nephrectomy in terms of the length of hospital stay [WMD=-2.35, 95% CI (-3.04, -1.65), P<0.00001], postoperative complications [OR=0.31, 95%CI(0.19, 0.51), P<0.0001] and renal function injury (glomerular filtration rate decline) [WMD=-5.61, 95%CI(-8.76, -2.45), P=0.0005]. However, the partial nephrectomy had a significant advantage in postoperative local recurrence control [OR=1.87, 95% CI (1.25, 2.81), P=0.002] than radiofrequency ablation. Conclusions Although radiofrequency ablation has significant advantages in the days of hospitalization, postoperative complications and protection of glomerular filtration rate, partial nephrectomy still has some advantages in the control of local recurrence of the renal cell carcinoma. Key words: Kidney Neoplasms; Nephrectomy; Catheter Ablation; Meta-Analysis