Renal cell carcinoma: risk assessment and prognostic factors for newly diagnosed patients

Surgical management of renal cell carcinoma is the most effective treatment for patients with localized disease. In patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, immune modulation-based therapies are typically used to improve cancer-specific survival. Similar to most cancers, tumor grade and stage are linked to the tumor's biologic potential. Integrating these factors with patients' performance status can help predict their long-term disease-free survival, the likelihood of tumor recurrence, and the median time to failure following surgery and immunotherapy. A novel integrated staging system and a postoperative renal cell carcinoma specific nomogram, along with standardized quality of life assessments have been shown to be useful clinical tools to aid in patient counseling, determining optimal follow-up imaging protocols, and identifying patients who might benefit from early enrollment in adjuvant therapy protocols. This article offers clinicians a review and summary of the most recent evidence-based research related to risk assessment among patients with newly diagnosed renal cell carcinoma.