Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: the standard of care already?
OBJECTIVE
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy has been developed and applied for patients with renal cell carcinoma since 1992. The number of patients undergoing laparoscopic radical nephrectomy has increased explosively worldwide in recent years, and laparoscopy is now extended to patients with advanced disease. It is very important to clarify the present status of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy among the treatment modalities for patients with renal cell carcinoma.


RESULTS
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy has a minimally invasive nature as well as comparable long-term cancer control in patients with pT1-3a renal cell carcinoma to open surgery. It is technically applicable for N1-2 disease and T3b disease if the tumor thrombus is within the renal vein. Also, it is feasible as a cytoreductive surgery for patients with M1 disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is a standard treatment modality for T1-3a renal cell carcinoma patients. It is also available for treating patients with N1-2 disease, and for patients with M1 disease as a cytoreductive surgery.
Ono
Yoshinari
Y
Department of Urology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-0064, Japan. onoy@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Hattori
Ryohei
R
Gotoh
Momokazu
M
Yoshino
Yasushi
Y
Yoshikawa
Yoko
Y
Kamihira
Osamu
O
D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome