Cancer of the kidney invading the vena cava and heart. Results after 11 years of treatment.

Between October, 1973, and October, 1983, 18 patients with cancer of the kidney or adrenal gland that had invaded the vena cava, and in 11 cases had reached the heart, were operated on by seven surgical teams. The surgical excision in all patients was performed with extracorporeal circulation, circulatory arrest and deep hypothermia. No deaths occurred. If there are no detectable metastases before operation, the 5 year survival rate is 75% as compared to 6 months with medical treatment. This clinical situation is not uncommon, as 3% to 10% of cancers of the kidney invade the inferior vena cava and 40% of them reach the heart. The possibility of curing the cancers with minimal operative risk should prompt a systematic search for venous invasion with any cancer of the kidney.