[A new concept on clinical manifestations in relation to staging of renal cell carcinoma]

With the advent of sonography and CT, renal cell carcinoma has increasingly been diagnosed in its early stage, with simple hematuria or no symptoms as the incidence of patients with masses and extrarenal extensions decreased. Correlating the clinical manifestations with stage, hematuria and pain may not imply an advanced lesion (31.4% Stage I). By adequate use of B ultrasonography and/or other instrument, many of renal cell carcinoma could be detected in its asymptomatic stage, a crucial requirement for better therapeutic results. The authors' data showed that fever, elevated ESR, varicocele and general malaise did imply advanced lesions or possible early metastasis after operation. On the other hand, complication with hypertension or erythremia could speak for an early lesion if diagnosis is made in time. Therefore, stratification of the extrarenal manifestations into endocrine and non-endocrine phases may help assess prognosis.