Predicting outcomes in renal cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Renal cell carcinoma is estimated to account for more than 35,000 new diagnoses and more than 12,000 cancer-related deaths in the United States in 2005, making it the most lethal of genitourinary malignancies. Approximately 25% of patients with renal cell carcinoma present with metastases, and about a third of those treated surgically for localized renal cell carcinoma will develop a recurrence. Current therapeutic options for disseminated disease benefit only a small percentage of patients.


RESULTS
Many clinical, histologic, and molecular factors have been identified that place a patient at risk for recurrence. Several prognostic algorithms, or nomograms, for renal cell carcinoma survival or recurrence after nephrectomy have been developed that incorporate many of these factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Renal cell carcinoma nomograms allow more accurate counseling of patients regarding their probable clinical course, facilitate treatment planning, and identify high-risk patients for experimental treatments.
Lane
Brian R
BR
Glickman Urological Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
Kattan
Michael W
MW
D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049451:Nomograms; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome