[Malignant kidney tumors in adults in Senegal: diagnostic and therapeutic problems]

The aim of this study was to analyze problems posed by adult renal malignant tumors both in the diagnostical and therapeutical viewpoints. We have performed a retrospective study including 48 cases of confirmed renal cancer. Have been included adult patients who presented a cancer of the kidney operated or not. Studied parameters were age, sex, clinical signs, complementary explorations i.e. biology, renal ultrasonography, IVU, Computerized tomography, the operative indication and the prognosis. We have used Robson's staging to classify our patients. The average age was 51 years with extremes of 18 and 83 years. However 60% of them were less than 50 years. Adenocarcinoma was the main histological form encountered. It has been found in 93% of cases. The flank mass has been the mode of discovery in 70.8% of cases. The classic symptomatic triad associating hematuria, pain and the renal mass has been found in 20.8% of cases. Ultrasonography and Intravenous urography (IVU) have allowed to pose the diagnosis in 93.75% of cases. Patients were often referred very late with an average delay of consultation of 14 month. So, 25% of them presented with metastasis at the moment of the diagnosis. Radical nephrectomy was performed in 60% of cases. 40% of patients have not been operated due to the advanced evolution of the tumor. The global mortality to 1 year was estimated at 38%. We conclude that renal malignant tumors in the adulthood, in our practice, presents some particularities. Indeed, patients are referred late when clinical symptoms are sufficiently evocative to suspect the diagnosis. At these advanced stages, there is no curative therapeutic. So, a precocious diagnosis is necessary in order to propose to patients radical nephrectomy which remains the only efficient therapeutical procedure of the localized renal cancer in the adulthood.