Clinical significance of lymph node dissection in renal cell carcinoma.

Objective. To identify the role of lymph node dissection in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Material and methods. A total of 100 patients (66 males, 34 females) were enrolled in the study. The mean age and tumor size were 61.4 years and 5.8 cm, respectively. A total of 41 patients (41%) had tumors < 4 cm in diameter. The pathological status was pT1, pT2 and pT3 in 60, 11 and 29 patients, respectively. Results. In total, lymph node metastases were found in seven cases (7%). Of 40 patients with pT1a tumors (tumor size < 4 cm), one (2.5%) had lymph node metastasis. Patients with lymph node metastases had significantly larger tumors than those without (8.9 vs 5.5 cm; p < 0.05). Regarding patient outcome, 33 (33%) had tumor progression (alive with disease, n = 14; disease-specific death, n = 19) after a median follow-up period of 54.0 months. In univariate analysis, 15/18 prognostic markers [tumor size, tumor grade, pT, pN and M categories, stage, microscopic venous invasion (V category), microscopic lymphatic invasion (Ly category), pathological tumor infiltration pattern (INF category), plasma fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, immunosuppressive acidic protein, alpha-2 globulin and erythrocyte sedimentation rates at 1 and 2 h] were common significant predictors of tumor progression. A Cox hazard model revealed tumor size, tumor grade and pathological stage to be independent prognostic factors. Conclusions. Tumor size is a crucial prognostic factor for tumor progression, and lymph node dissection may be omitted in T1a tumors.