title: [Renal cancer--a retrospective study of 368 patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We wanted to evaluate our treatment results for renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of 368 patients operated with nephrectomy between 1978 and 2000 was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  29% of the renal cell carcinomas were diagnosed incidentally and we observed a significant increase in this respect between the first and second half of the study. 18% had postoperative complications and 3% had major complications needing reoperation. 2% of the nephrectomies on the left side were complicated with splenectomy. 11 patients (3%) died within 30 days, most of the deaths occurring in the early part of the study period. Five-year cancer-specific survival rates were: 92% for stage 1; 83% for stage 2; 67% for stage 3; and 16% for stage 4. No differences were encountered between transabdominal and retroperitoneal surgical approaches in terms of cancer-specific survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing numbers of incidentally detected tumours have been observed. Our survival, complication and mortality rates are comparable to those in other reports.
authors.affiliation: Kirurgisk avdeling Oppland sentralsykehus Lillehammer 2629 Lillehammer. christian.beisland@haukeland.no
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beisland
authors.forename: Per Christian
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Medby
authors.forename: Hans Olav
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Beisland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate