Results of pulmonary resection for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Nine cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the lung were studied to assess the efficacy of surgical management. Between January, 1965 and December 1981, 116 cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the lung were treated. Nine of these cases (7.8%), were treated with surgical resection for the pulmonary metastases. The overall crude survival rate after pulmonary resection was 33.3% (3/9) at 3 years and 22.2% (2/9) at 5 years. Two patients are long-term survivors, one still being in good health 108 months, and the other 72 months after pulmonary resection. Pulmonary resection for metastatic renal cell carcinoma was considered effective in some selected slow-growing cases as protection against metastasis from a metastasis.     

Clinical effect of UFT in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Single administration of 1-(2-tetrahydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil (UFT) to patients with renal cell carcinoma with assessable lesions brought about 1 case each of complete response, partial response and no change, 3 cases of partial deterioration and the effective rate of 33.3%. As adverse effects, anorexia occurred in 1 of the 6 patients, but continual administration was possible by reducing the dose. The effective rate of UFT is high with few adverse effects, compared with the conventional chemotherapy. Therefore, UFT is considered to be an effective preparation for treating renal cell carcinoma.     

A case of pulmonary metastasis from renal cell carcinoma with complete response to interferon-alpha and tegafur/uracil (UFT) but possibly UFT-induced liver dysfunction and leukoencephalopathy-like symptoms]

A 61-year-old man presented with gross hematuria. He underwent left radical nephrectomy under a diagnosis of left renal cell carcinoma without distant metastasis, but bilateral multiple pulmonary metastases appeared 2.5 months after the operation. Though the metastases responded well to combination therapy of interferon-alpha and a 1:4 mixture of tegafur and uracil (UFT), the side effects of liver dysfunction and leukoencephalopathy-like symptoms due to UFT appeared 7 months after the beginning of the chemotherapy. These side effects were improved after the cessation of UFT administration.     

Efficacy of Multimodality Therapy in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

Objectives. The integration of systemic biologic response modifier (BRM) therapy and surgery to treat metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an evolving approach. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of this form of multimodality therapy in patients with metastatic RCC.Methods. Between 1988 and 1996, 14 patients at our institution underwent initial BRM therapy followed by surgical resection of primary and metastatic RCC lesions. Patient records were reviewed to determine the response to BRM therapy, progression-free survival rate, and overall survival rate. The mean follow-up for the entire group was 43.5 months.Results. After BRM therapy, 9 patients manifested an objective response and 5 patients had stable disease. All patients were then rendered disease-free by surgical excision of residual or recurrent metastatic lesions and the primary tumor. The cancer-specific survival rate at 3 years was 81.5%. Currently, 7 patients are alive and disease-free (mean follow-up 41.4 months), 3 patients are alive with recurrent disease (mean survival 48.3 months), 3 patients died of metastatic disease (mean survival 27.9 months), and 1 patient died of an unrelated cause 54.4 months after therapy.Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that adjunctive surgery after BRM therapy can extend the survival of selected patients with metastatic RCC. Aggressive surgical resection of stable or responding lesions after BRM therapy should be considered in the management of these patients.     

Long-term survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma managed with conservative therapy: a report of two cases

Case 1. A 58-year-old man underwent radical nephrectomy due to a tumor in the left kidney (renal cell carcinoma, clear cell subtype, G3, pT1bpN0) in 1988. Thirteen years later, he underwent surgical resection of metastases to lung and cerebrum and gamma ray knife resection of two other sites of metastases to cerebrum in 2001. He had no evidence of disease in April, 2003. Case 2. A 53-year-old man underwent radical nephrectomy due to a tumor in the right kidney (renal cell carcinoma, clear cell type, pT1apN0) in 1987. From 1996 to 2001, irradiation therapy to multiple metastases to thoracic vertebrae (50 Gy), rib (50 Gy), para-aorta lymph nodes (40 Gy), sacrum (44 Gy) and sternum (44 Gy), and surgical resection of dermal metastasis were performed. Paraplegia occurred due to regrowth of thoracic bone metastasis in December, 2001. In February, 2002, he died of septic shock caused by infection of decubitus. Surgical resection and palliative therapy of recurrent metastatic foci was useful to improve the quality of life and probably prognosis.     

Clinical study of six thymic carcinomas including long-term survivors]

Six cases of thymic carcinoma (mean age 48.5 years old, one male and 5 females) were treated in our hospital from September 1990 to September 1998. The histological subtypes of thymic carcinoma were squamous cell in 4, undifferentiated in one, and small cell in one. All cases underwent midsternal thoracotomy, 4 had total resection of the tumor and 2 had exploratory thoracotomy due to tumor invasion of the aorta and the main pulmonary artery. Within 2 years after operation, 2 cases without radiation therapy were died of the carcinoma and one case was died of asthma. However, two cases of squamous cell carcinoma have been alive and disease free for 3 and 5 years since the operation followed by mediastinal irradiation. We think that radiation therapy is very effective to control the disease because one of them underwent only exploratory operation prior to irradiation. Another one case who survives 5 years after total resection of the tumor following irradiation revealed swelling of numerous mediastinal lymph nodes, pathologically consisted of non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas without metastasis of carcinoma, at the time of operation. These lymph nodes were diagnosed as "sarcoid-like reaction" because there was no clinical evidence of generalized sarcoidosis. The "sarcoid-like reaction" may contribute to the 5-year survival of the patient because it is thought to be a local immune response against the cancer cells. A remaining patient, alive 6 months after total resection of the thymic small cell carcinoma following irradiation, received preoperatively three cycles of the intra-arterial administration using CBDCA via bilateral internal mammary arteries. This induction chemotherapy had no response of the tumor size, but it was considered to have a possibility of reducing the size of thymic carcinoma by the use of other agents (CDDP, VDS etc.) because the tumor was fed mainly by the highly developed internal mammary arteries.     

Postoperative UFT Adjuvant and the Risk Factors for Recurrence in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study

Background Radical nephrectomy is the standard therapy for low-stage renal cell carcinoma. However, recurrence sometimes develops even in patients who are considered to have undergone a curative resection of the primary tumor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of UFT (a 1: 4 mixture of tegafur and uracil) adjuvant and the risk factors for recurrence in renal cell carcinoma.
Methods A prospective randomized trial was conducted to compare the use of long-term oral UFT adjuvant with nonadjuvant therapy after a radical nephrectomy for Robson stage I or II renal cell carcinoma. A multivariate analysis was also performed to estimate the risk factors for recurrence.
Results A total of 71 patients were entered into this study, and 66 were evaluable (33 for each group). There was no significant difference in patient characteristics between the 2 groups. The nonrecurrence rate at 5 years after a radical nephrectomy was 80.5% and 77.1% in the UFT adjuvant group and the nonadjuvant group, respectively, with a median follow-up of 112.9 months; the difference was not significant. The toxicity of UFT was generally mild and tolerable. The tumor grade was found to be an important factor influencing recurrence.
Conclusion UFT cannot be universally recommended as an adjuvant therapy for radical nephrectomy in all patients with low-stage renal cell carcinoma.     

Solitary renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the hand: the need for wide excision or amputation

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma responds poorly to chemotherapy or radiation therapy and is associated with a dismal survival rate. In cases of a solitary acrometastasis, the literature supports complete resection of the lesion in an effort to prolong survival. We report a patient who presented with a solitary metachronous renal cell metastasis to the middle phalanx of the index finger. The lesion was correctly identified as a renal cell metastasis and aggressive surgical management was performed with curative intent.     

Surgical resection of pulmonary metastasis from genitourinary cancers

Three patients who underwent surgical resection for pulmonary metastases were reviewed. The primary lesion was testicular tumor, bladder cancer and renal cell carcinoma. One of these patients is alive without disease at 30 months after the pulmonary resection, while the others died of recurrence at 3 and 7 months after the surgical resection, respectively. As a factor affecting prognosis, characteristics of the primary lesion, especially its chemosensitivity, was thought to be important. The surgical resection of pulmonary metastasis may be effective, if the indication is assessed carefully.     

A case of recurrent renal cell carcinoma which recurred after fourth surgical resection and survived for about 2 years by medroxyporgesterone acetate administration

A 62-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of asymptomatic gross hematuria. Right radical Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated an 8 cm mass in the right kidney. nephrectomy was done in March 1995, and the pathological examination revealed renal cell carcinoma (RCC), clear cell type, G2>G1. Interferon (IFN)-alpha was administered for 10 months. About 3 years later, in March 1998, CT showed 1 cm mass in the left kidney. Left partial nephrectomy was done and the pathological finding was RCC, G1. IFN-alpha2b was administered for a year. About 2 years later, CT showed 2.7 cm mass in the left lung. Left upper lobectomy was performed in August 2000, and it was a metastasis of RCC, G2. IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma were administered. Nine months later, in June 2001, the recurrence of the left kidney and the left adrenal gland was found and partial nephrectomy and adrenalectomy was performed. Pathological finding was RCC, G3. IFN-alpha and tegafur-uracil (UFT) were administered. Only 3 months later, recurrence of the left kidney and the left adrenal gland and the lymph node of renal hilus was found. We gave up for surgical resection and chemotherapy of MVP (Methotrexate, Vinblastine, Pepleomycin) was performed. Despite the therapy, disease progressed. 10 months after the last recurrence, in July 2002, patient became disoriented and hypercalcemia and the MVP therapy was stopped. After that, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and UFT were administered; the patient lived 20 months with relatively good performance status and died in February 2004. MPA might be considered as a drug for advanced renal cell carcinoma.     

Three cases of pulmonary hamartoma appearing after radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma

We report 3 patients with pulmonary hamartoma, all of whom had undergone nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. A lung tumor was detected 2 to 9-months following nephrectomy. Preoperative diagnosis was pulmonary metastasis from renal cell carcinoma and pulmonary tumor resection was performed in each case. There was a 9- to 12-month interval between the detection and resection of the lung tumor. The histological diagnosis of the lung tumor in all three patient was pulmonary hamartoma. Following the resection of the lung tumor, recurrence was not noted in any of the patients.     

Chemotherapy of renal cell carcinoma. 2. Combined chemotherapy using ACNU and VBL

Nineteen patients with renal cell carcinoma who had undergone radical nephrectomy have been treated with a combination of chemotherapy and partly hormonal therapy using ACNU, vinblastine and chloromadinone acetate. The efficacy of the combination therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma was studied and only one out of nineteen cases having lung and pleural metastasis shows no change lasting from one to eighteen months. The prophylactic efficacy was studied in eighteen patients with stage I to IVA renal cell carcinoma (contained one patient with stage IVA renal cell carcinoma who had undergone radical nephrectomy and coecum resection for coecum invasion). Tumor recurrence occurred in 5 cases, that is 5 cases within 1 year and 1 case within 2 years. The combination of chemotherapy using ACNU & vinblastine must be used carefully for severe side effects.     

A case of the coexistence of renal cysts and renal cell carcinoma associated with direct invasion of the liver (stage IV)

A 63-year-old male was admitted with a complaint of right abdominal mass. A right renal tumor associated with direct invasion to liver and with lobulated cystic lesion and renal solitary cyst were diagnosed preoperatively by aortography and computed tomography. Transperitoneal radical nephrectomy and partial resection of liver metastasis were performed. Histological diagnosis was clear cell carcinoma with dilated tubuli. Tumor invasion to the inferolateral portion of the liver and to the renal solitary cyst wall were demonstrated by both gross and microscopic examinations. The coexistence of tumor and cyst in the same kidney is rare. Our case probably had both the type I and II or III tumors according to Gibson classification. Twenty months after radical nephrectomy, pulmonary metastases were detected by chest x-ray, tomography and bronchial arteriography. All metastatic lesions were replaced by fibrous change 7 months after the four bronchial arterial infusions (BAI) of ADM 30 mg and irradiation with a dose of 5,000 rads to each lesion. After 9 tumor-free months, recurrence of pulmonary metastases were pointed out by chest x-ray and tomography. They (four coin lesions) were treated with anticancer therapy, mainly irradiation and twice insufficient BAI. Three of them were occupied entirely by fibrous change and another solid one remained in the right pulmonary apex without enlargement for the past 4 months. Radical nephrectomy and partial resection of the liver for the primary renal cell carcinoma with direct invasion to liver, BAI and irradiation for the two pulmonary metastases have kept the patient alive for 4 years.     

Results of the treatment of carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter

Twenty-one patients with renal pelvic carcinoma and eighteen patients with ureteral carcinoma were treated with surgical therapy. In 14 of the 39 patients, we performed nephroureterectomy with a bladder cuff (NUpB), nephroureterectomy with total cystectomy (NUtB) in 12, nephrectomy with partial ureteric resection (NpU) in 8 and others in 5. Following surgery, 8 had recurrences and metastasis and 21 died with carcinoma and 10 survived without evidence of disease. The 5-year survival rate of the patients with renal pelvis carcinoma is 33.5% and 52.0% in ureteral carcinoma.     

新辅助治疗低位局部进展期直肠癌35例结果分析

目的 探讨新辅助治疗对低位局部进展期直肠癌的临床治疗价值。方法 对35例低位局部进展期直肠癌患者，采用新辅助治疗方案。常规分割放疗，放疗总剂量DT：46Gy，每次2Gy，每周5次。全身化疗2个疗程，每次予以奥沙利铂130mg／m^2，第1天静脉点滴；甲酰四氢叶酸钙(CF)200mg／m^3，第1～3天静脉点滴；氟尿嘧啶(5-FU)500mg／m^2，第1～3天静脉点滴。治疗结束后4～6周进行手术。结果 经新辅助治疗后，病理完全缓解7例，肿瘤平均缩小34．4％，65．7％的病例T分期下降，淋巴结阴转率为55．6％。根治切除34例，其中腹会阴联合切除18例，保肛手术16例，保肛率为45．7％。姑息性Hartmann术1例。随访至今，肝转移2例，根治切除术后无1例局部复发。保肛患者肛门功能良好。结论 对低位局部进展期直肠癌患者采用新辅助治疗，可使肿瘤分期降低，提高手术切除率和保肛率。     

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目的　探讨门静脉区域化疗对原发性肝癌完全切除术后的复发和转移的预防效果。方法　 1997年10月至 2 0 0 0年 10月间 ,广州医学院附属第二医院对 4 2例原发肝癌手术切除后分别行肝动脉 (18例 )或门静脉(2 4例 )区域预防性化疗。结果　两组间的术后 1、3、5年总生存率差异无显著意义 (P >0 0 5 ) ,门静脉化疗组的1、3年无瘤生存率显著高于肝动脉化疗组 (P <0 0 5 )。结论　术后门静脉区域预防性化疗可预防和延缓肝癌切除术后的复发和转移。     

Should radical nephrectomy be performed in the face of surgically incurable disease?

The role of cytoreductive nephrectomy in the management of metastatic renal cancer remains controversial. Recent trials, like SWOG 8949 have suggested the usefulness of this approach at least in selected patients with good performance status and other favorable indicators. The timing of cytoreductive nephrectomy has also been controversial and remains so to this time.CommentaryAn estimated 30,000 new cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are detected annually in the U.S. In approximately one-third of these cases, metastatic disease is diagnosed at presentation. Multi-modality treatment combines biologic response modifier (BRM) therapy with surgery in an attempt to improve survival with either form of treatment alone. The optimal timing of surgery relative to BRM therapy continues to be debated.Prior to the advent of multi-modality therapy, there were relatively few indications for nephrectomy in patients with metastatic RCC. The incidence of spontaneous regression of metastatic RCC following removal of the primary tumor is only 1–4% and, therefore, nephrectomy on this basis is not justified. There is a palliative role for nephrectomy in selected patients with metastatic RCC who are experiencing severe disability from associated local symptoms; however, some patients in this category can be managed with percutaneous renal angioinfarction. A small subset of patients with a solitary metastasis may benefit from nephrectomy and resection of the metastatic lesion based on reported 5-year survival rates of up to 30–35%.There has been controversy concerning the appropriate timing of adjuvant or cytoreductive nephrectomy in the multi-modality approach to treatment of metastatic RCC. Many protocols have involved preliminary removal of the primary tumor before the administration of BRM therapy. The rationale for this has been to enhance response rates to BRM therapy by reducing tumor volume and, in some cases, to provide immunoreactive cells for treatment. A drawback of this approach was that many patients underwent nephrectomy without subsequently receiving BRM therapy due to postoperative morbidity/mortality or rapid tumor progression. This prompted interest in an alternative approach of delayed adjuvant nephrectomy wherein BRM therapy was administered initially and nephrectomy was subsequently performed only in those patients who demonstrated a response to systemic therapy.The relative merits of initial versus delayed adjuvant nephrectomy in conjunction with BRM therapy for metastatic RCC have recently been clarified through two phase III prospective multicenter clinical trials conducted in Europe (EORTC) and the United States (SWOG). The results of both of these carefully done studies have indicated improved survival with initial nephrectomy followed by BRM therapy. The latter comprised interferon monotherapy in both studies, which opens the studies to criticism, however the essential observation of extended survival with preliminary nephrectomy appears to be valid. On this basis, there is now objective evidence to suggest that initial cytoreductive nephrectomy is the preferred approach in patients with metastatic RCC who are candidates for multi-modality therapy. The most appropriate candidates for such therapy remain patients with good performance status and low-volume (preferably pulmonary) metastatic disease. The ability to perform cytoreductive nephrectomy laparoscopically in some of these patients, with reduced morbidity, is a further development that has strengthened the argument in favor of initial nephrectomy.Andrew C. Novick, M.D.     

Total cleidectomy for a solitary metastasis of the clavicle

The clavicle is a fairly common site of metastases of renal cell carcinoma. We report the cases of two patients with undiagnosed renal cell carcinoma who were first seen for shoulder pain secondary to a solitary clavicular metastasis. Wide resection was performed in both cases. Functional and cosmetic results were good, with no shoulder pain or neurovascular deficits. We suggest wide surgical resection of a solitary bony metastasis from renal cell carcinoma, associated with appropriate systemic treatment, because the survival may be increased.     

A case of bladder metastasis of renal cell carcinoma: a case report and literature review

The patient was a 74-year-old man. Computed tomography (CT) detected a right renal tumor with paraaortic lymph node swelling. Radical nephrectomy and left lymphadenectomy were performed in September 2008. Interferon-alpha (6 million international units three times per week) was administered as adjuvant therapy. Due to the development of side effects, including fatigue, the patient's immunotherapy was discontinued after 6 months. Radiofrequency ablation for pulmonary metastasis was performed 9 months after surgery. A nodular pedunculated tumor was detected on the posterior wall of the urinary bladder by CT, and transurethral resection was performed 18 months after nephrectomy/lymphadenectomy. Since the pathological diagnosis of the bladder tumor was clear cell carcinoma, that tumor was thought to have originated from the renal cell carcinoma. We have summarized 43 cases of bladder metastasis of renal cell carcinoma in Japanese patients, including ours.     

Solitary bony metastasis from renal cell carcinoma: significance of surgical treatment

To define the importance of the type of surgical treatment, we retrospectively analyzed the survival rate of 60 patients with solitary bony metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. Thirteen patients had wide resection, 20 had local stabilization, and 27 patients had no surgical treatment, but had adjuvant treatment alone. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 83%, 45%, and 23%, respectively. Patients with surgical treatment (wide or intralesional resection) survived longer compared with patients who had no surgical treatment but had adjuvant treatment modalities. However, there was no survival advantage for patients who had a wide resection of the lesion compared with patients who had intralesional resection or intramedullary stabilization alone. Our results indicate that wide surgical excision of a solitary bony metastasis from renal cell carcinoma is not mandatory to improve survival. However, because three of 20 patients (15%) treated with stabilization alone had local disease progression, wide resection of metastatic lesions and stabilization may be necessary to prevent local disease progression and complications.