Long-term outcome of multiple ipsilateral renal tumours found at the time of planned nephron-sparing surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patients with multiple ipsilateral renal tumours and to determine outcomes of nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) and radical nephrectomy (RN), as the treatment of unrecognized sporadic multifocal tumours at NSS presents a surgical dilemma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 104 patients had surgery between 1970 and 2003 for sporadic multiple ipsilateral renal tumours, at least one of which was renal cell carcinoma (RCC); 114 were treated with RN and 26 with NSS. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: More patients treated with NSS had a solitary kidney than those undergoing RN (six, 23%, vs none, P < 0.001). Seventeen of the 114 having RN died from RCC at a median (range) of 3.4 (0.25-10.3) years after RN. The estimated 5-year CSS was 90.5%. There was metachronous recurrence in nine patients at a median of 5.6 (1-14) years after. Two of the 26 patients having NSS died from RCC at 1 and 6 years after NSS; the 5-year CSS was 95.8%. There was local or metachronous recurrence in three patients at 7 months to 6 years after surgery; all three were alive at the last follow-up. In 26 (23%) of the 114 patients treated with RN, only one tumour was RCC. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing either RN or NSS for multiple ipsilateral renal tumours have a favourable CSS. A planned NSS is safe if small satellite lesions are resectable.