[Radiation therapy of renal carcinoma: investigations and results (author's transl)]

Between 1969 and 1975, 93 patients were irradiated because of renal carcinoma, most of them after surgical treatment. The 5-year survival rate was 71%; in 56% of the cases no symptom suggested metastasition or recurrence. Invasive growth into a vein was ascertained histologically in a high percentage but did not cause significant alteration of postoperative irradiation results. The evaluation reveals that megavoltage irradiation distinctly improves the prognosis after nephrectomy in comparison with sole radical operation of malignant renal tumors. In many cases radiation therapy of solitary metastases from hypernephroma may be utilized with curative intention.