Metastatic renal cell cancer after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy: long-term follow-up

To assess the risk of metastatic disease in longer-term follow-up of patients undergoing laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with morcellation for renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

We present the findings at follow-up at 13.5 to 70 months (mean 33.4 months) of 57 previously reported patients. Three, all of whom initially had clinical stage N0M0 disease, were found to have metastases. One, who had a clinical stage T3 grade III/IV tumor, developed an asymptomatic recurrence in the renal fossa with associated chest metastasis 14 months postoperatively. The second, who had a clinical stage T2 grade II/IV tumor, developed painful bony lesions and a chest metastasis 20 months postoperatively. The third patient, with a clinical stage T3 grade IV/IV tumor, was found to have a solitary port-side abdominal-wall recurrence with no other evidence of metastatic disease at 25 months.

Longer-term follow-up has demonstrated a 5% (3/57) rate of metastases after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. In two of these patients, the course was consistent with the natural history of RCC; however, the third had a port-site recurrence. Thus, it behooves us to be meticulous with our technique and to follow patients closely after laparoscopic nephrectomy. Several suggestions are made to reduce the likelihood of port-site recurrence.