The effect of tumor volume on survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tumor volume on prognosis and the relation of tumor volume with other prognostic factors in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

The study included 46 retrospectively assessed patients with RCC (32 males and 14 females; mean age, 58.13±10.47 years) who underwent surgery between January 2002 and January 2009. Patients were staged according to clinical, radiological, and pathological data. The basic radiological characteristics of tumors and tumor volumes were defined by two observers. The clinical information and the last health status of all patients were recorded. The life duration of the patients after surgery was determined, and cumulative survival rates were calculated.

The survival rates showed no difference between the male and female patients (P = 0.569); the five-year survival was 75.7% and 78.5%, respectively. The survival rates demonstrated differences between groups according to potential prognostic markers such as cell type, Fuhrman's grade, the diameter, invasion of perinephric fat, sinus, or adrenal gland, pathological stage, and presence of metastasis. The inter- and intra-observer reliability of radiological volume measurements were 93.6% and 100%, respectively (P < 0.001). Two groups of tumor volume (i.e., smaller and greater than 110 cm < sup > 3 < /sup > ) showed statistically significant difference in terms of survival (P < 0.032). In univariate analysis, only Fuhrman's grade and T stage were independent prognostic variables.

Tumor volume is predictive of survival in patients with RCC; however, it does not appear to be an independent prognostic factor. The prognostic factors for overall survival are Fuhrman's grade and T stage.