[Analysis of renal neoplasms in adult patients under 40]

To analyze within our sample population the number of patients under 40 receiving surgery as a result of renal neoplasm; to describe the characteristics of these patients and compare them with those of adult patients over 40.

We have revised the clinical history of the 379 patients with renal neoplasm who have undergone surgery in our Service from January 1986 through June 2003. Patients were divided into two groups. Group I, formed by 36 subjects (9.5%) < or = 40. Group II includes 343 patients (90.5%) over 40. Data were included in a database created using the software programme Access and were subsequently analysed using the statistical package SPSS. A descriptive analysis was performed and life expectancy was calculated for both groups using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve.

7.3% of the total number of renal cell carcinomas included in our series occurs in patients of or under 40. No significant differences have been observed as regards the distribution per sexes, laterality, size, incidental occurrence, clinical symptoms, anatomopathology, staging or surgical technique employed. However, we have observed differences as regards cancer-specific survival rate after 5 years, being 94.74% in the case of group I and 68.64% in group II (log-rank 0.0338).

The number of patients < or = 40 undergoing surgery as a result of renal cell carcinoma in the sample under study matches other series already published. No statistically significant difference has been observed as regards staging among patients under and over 40. Differences do exist as regards cancer-specific survival rate. In the case of our patients, irrespective of the age group to which they were ascribed, it is more common to diagnose a renal neoplasm incidentally than through the clinical manifestations.