Management of renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus in renal vein and the inferior vena cava.

BACKGROUND

The article aims to sum up experience in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma complicated with tumor thrombus in renal vein and inferior vena cava.

METHODS

A retrospective review was made on the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of 15 cases of renal carcinoma complicated with venous tumor thrombus from July 1994 to July 2006.

RESULTS

The diagnosis of 93% (14/15) cases was confirmed by preoperative computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Of the 15 cases, two had simple renal vein tumor thrombus of left kidney and 13 had inferior vena cava tumor thrombus; of the latter, nine were type I (pararenal type), three type II (subhepatic type), and one type III (intrahepatic type). Of the 12 patients who received surgical treatment, 11 had the renal tumors completely resected, the venous tumor thrombus removed, and lymph nodes cleared. Palliative excision was performed in one patient with a left kidney tumor because of adjacent adhesion. All the three patients who did not receive surgical treatment died, with a mean survival period of 7 months. Of the 12 surgical patients who received surgical treatment, three were lost during follow-up, and the other nine were followed up for 4-72 months; of these 9 patients, three (25%) survived tumor-free for more than 5 years, three for 1-3 years, and the other three died of metastasis within 1 year.

CONCLUSION

Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are the best choice for noninvasive diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma complicated with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus. For patients without metastasis, radical resection of both the tumor and the thrombus often offers a relatively satisfactory outcome.