[Synchronous bilateral renal cell carcinoma]

Until very recently, bilateral renal cell carcinoma was considered to be of very poor prognosis due to the poor results obtained with either radiotherapy or chemotherapy, which were completely ineffective in this type of tumours. In 1952, Krumbach performed the first radical nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy to a patient with bilateral synchronic renal cell carcinoma. This aggressive approach to bilateral renal cell carcinoma definitely changed the prognosis of these patients. Other authors with broad series of patients have clearly demonstrated that aggressive treatment of these tumours is the only approach that can offer patients a life opportunity with a significant 5-year survival ranging between 60-77.8% from the time of surgery.