title: Nephron sparing surgery for localized renal cell carcinoma: impact of tumor size on patient survival, tumor recurrence and TNM staging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the impact of tumor size on patient survival and tumor recurrence following nephron sparing surgery for localized sporadic renal cell carcinoma. In addition, we evaluated the usefulness of the new TNM staging system in which T1 versus T2 tumor status is delineated by tumor size 7 or less versus more than 7 cm., respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  The results of nephron sparing surgery for localized sporadic renal cell carcinoma in 485 patients treated before 1997 were reviewed. Patients were divided into groups according to tumor size as 1--2.5 or less (142), 2--2.5 to 4.0 (168), 3--more than 4 to 7 (125) and 4--more than 7 cm (50). Mean postoperative followup was 47 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall and cancer specific 5-year survival for the entire series was 81 and 92%, respectively. Of 44 patients with recurrent renal cell carcinoma 16 (3.2%) had local recurrence and 28 (5.8%) had metastatic disease. There was no difference in 5-year cancer specific survival or tumor recurrence between groups 1 and 2 or groups 3 and 4. However, these outcome measures were significantly more favorable in groups 1 and 2 combined (tumors 4 cm. or less) compared to groups 3 and 4 combined (tumors more than 4 cm.) (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Following nephron sparing surgery for localized sporadic renal cell carcinoma cancer-free survival is significantly better in patients with tumors 4 cm. or less compared to those with larger tumors. The usefulness of the current TNM staging system can be improved by subdividing T1 tumors into T1a (4 cm. or less) and T1b (4 to 7 cm.).
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hafez
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fergany
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Novick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009399:Nephrons; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods