title: Prognostic value of multifocality on progression and survival in localized renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Incidence of multifocality in Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) is estimated at between 5 and 25%. Multifocality has been largely studied because of the growing interest in conservative surgery which is a risk of local recurrence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between multifocality and other prognostic parameters and whether it is an independent prognostic factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1980 to 1990, 255 patients (median age: 60.9 years) were treated by radical nephrectomy for pT1 to pT3b N0M0 RCC. The median follow-up time was 183 months. Multifocality was defined as the existence of at least one other tumoral localization, macroscopically and microscopically diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma, in the same kidney. Studied parameters were: age, sex, side, size, stage, Fuhrman's grade, capsular invasion, renal vein involvement and microvascular invasion. Survival was assessed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  37 cases of multifocal RCC were diagnosed (14.5%). There was only a significant correlation with stage (p=0.002) and with capsular invasion (p=0.002). No other factor was correlated with multifocality. It had no influence on the risk of metastatic progression, overall or specific survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a significant correlation between capsular invasion and multifocality that has to be considered before proposing conservative surgery for a localized RCC. Multifocality has no influence on survival or metastatic progression in case of radical nephrectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Service d'Urologie, Pavillon Chirurgical A, 1, Place de l'Hôpital, BP 426, F-67091 Strasbourg Cédex, France.
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lindner
authors.forename: Mael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Letourneux
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saussine
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacqmin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate