The value of morphological prognostic criteria in the assessment of renal cell carcinoma.

In this study, we examined some of the morphological values from the large number of prognostic parameters indicated in the literature by establishing survival statistics. Primary distant metastasis formation was confirmed to be a prognostically unfavorable factor. Regional metastasis formation takes an intermediate position between the primarily distantly metastasized and the primary non-metastasized renal cell carcinoma. In the primarily non-metastasized renal cell carcinoma, tumor invasion into the renal vein is associated with prognostic deterioration, obviously due to a linkage to other unfavorable tumor characteristics. The histological degree of malignancy as a single prognostic parameter seems to be of little informational value if no other tumor data are taken into consideration. The classification of renal tumors according to Robson proves to be of great clinical relevance, especially when it is combined with the histological degree of malignancy. The prognostic scheme by Hermanek 'combined staging and grading' must be recommended as the prognostic scheme of choice. Apart from special histological types of the renal cell carcinoma, such as the papillary or sarcomatous variant, and with reservation as to the tendency to unpredictable secondary metastasis formation that is peculiar to the renal cell carcinoma, a prediction of the prognosis according to the morphological criteria mentioned above is possible to a satisfactory degree within certain limits.