The role of preoperative embolization in renal cell carcinoma

A prospective study was done to assess the effect of embolization on the technical ease of nephrectomy, change in the immunological status of the patient and subsequent behavior of tumors and/or metastases in 55 patients with renal cell carcinoma. We found that embolization makes the operation easier technically. No changes in responses to delayed hypersensitivity skin tests were found after embolization with or without nephrectomy. There may be a response following embolization and adjuvant radical nephrectomy in some patients with limited lung metastases. No significant regression of renal cell carcinoma and/or metastases after embolization alone or with nephrectomy and hormonal/chemotherapeutic treatment was demonstrated. Survival of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma was longer for those who underwent embolization and nephrectomy than for those who underwent embolization alone.