A Multicentered, Propensity Matched Analysis Comparing Laparoscopic and Open Surgery for pT3a Renal Cell Carcinoma

To compare outcomes following laparoscopic renal surgery (LRS) and open renal surgery (ORS) in the treatment of pathologic T3a (pT3a) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) using a propensity matched analysis.

The Canadian Kidney Cancer Information System is a prospectively maintained database for patients diagnosed with RCC from 15 Canadian institutions. Patients treated for nonmetastatic pT3a RCC between 2008 and 2015 were included. Propensity score matching for age, gender, tumor size, grade, histology, and surgical approach was performed to compare laparoscopic radical and partial nephrectomy (LRN or LPN) with open radical or partial nephrectomy (ORN or OPN). The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Two hundred twenty-six (45%) patients underwent LRS (88% LRN and 12% LPN), and 275 (55%) underwent ORS (75% ORN and 25% OPN). After a median follow-up of 21.1 months, 155 (72 LRS and 83 ORS) patients experienced recurrence. The 3-year RFS was 63% and 50% for the LRS and ORS groups, respectively, p = 0.36. On subgroup analysis, there was no significant difference in RFS among patients who underwent radical nephrectomy (3-year RFS 61% in LRN compared with 46% in ORN group, p = 0.32) or partial nephrectomy (77% in LPN compared with 79% in OPN group, p = 0.82).

This study is the largest matched analysis comparing LRS and ORS for pT3a RCC. In matched patients, LRS showed no difference in oncologic outcomes compared with ORS and should be considered when technically feasible.