Oncologic Outcomes of Cytoreductive Nephrectomy in Synchronous Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma: A Single-Center Experience

Purpose

To evaluate the prognostic role of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in patients with synchronous metastatic renal-cell carcinoma (mRCC).

Patients and Methods

We analyzed the electronic medical records of 294 patients with synchronous mRCC treated at Samsung Medical Center from January 2005 to December 2015. Primary and secondary end points were overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS), respectively. OS and CSS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between patients with and without CN, particularly by performing 1:1 propensity score matching. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of survival outcomes.

Results

Among the overall population of synchronous mRCC patients, 189 patients (64.3%) underwent CN. Compared to mRCC patients without CN, those who underwent CN have a higher proportion of single metastasis (63.0% vs. 32.4%) and clear-cell histology (87.8% vs. 72.4%). In the matched cohort, the patients who underwent CN had better OS and CSS outcomes compared to those who did not undergo CN (median OS, 23.0 months vs. 11.0 months; P < .001; median CSS, 34.0 months vs. 14.0 months; P < .001). On multivariable analysis, undergoing CN, body mass index, and Heng risk score were found as significant predictive factors of both OS and CSS. In subgroup analyses stratified by Heng risk criteria, the patients who received CN had better OS and CSS in all risk groups.

Conclusion

CN significantly improved survival outcomes in synchronous mRCC patients treated with targeted therapies and independently associated with prolonged survival, regardless of Heng risk criteria.