Percutaneous transluminal embolization for improved prognosis of renal cell carcinoma—Dependence on tumor stages

The effect of percutaneous transluminal embolization (PTE) on the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma, depending on tumor stage, was retrospectively investigate on 303 patients. The life-table method was used for statistical comparison of survival rates of preoperatively or palliatively embolized patients with those of patiens who merely underwent nephrectomy or were symptomatically treated. Preoperative PTE in tumor stages T₂ and T₃ resulted in extended survival rates, which were statistically significant in T₂ cases. Prognosis was also improved in patients who underwent palliative embolization as compared with those patients who were inoperable and received only symptomatic treatment. Prognosis following palliative PTE and delayed nephrectomy was not worse than that following preoperative PTE and immediate nephrectomy.