Surgery of inferior vena cava associated malignant tumor lesions.
BACKGROUND
Tumor lesions of the inferior vena cava (IVC) can originate from the vein or can develop by malignant tumor infiltration from the surrounding tissue. In this context, particular attention should be paid to tumor lesions with pegs into or within the IVC. The aim of this series of a single surgical center was to analyze the perioperative management, the individual-specific and -adapted surgical technique, as well as the outcome including prognostic considerations in IVC-associated malignant tumor lesions.


METHODS
Over a 6-year time period, all consecutive patients with IVC-associated malignant tumor lesions and their patient- and finding-specific characteristics were registered, data and parameters of the diagnostic and therapeutic management were documented, and both the short- and long-term outcomes (complication rate, perioperative morbidity/mortality, tumor recurrence rate, survival) were assessed with periodic follow-up investigations.


RESULTS
Overall, 12 patients were enrolled in the study from 1/1/2001-31/12/2006:6 primary IVC-tumors (leiomyosarcomas, 50%) and 6 secondary IVC-tumors (2 retroperitoneal tumor lesions, 16.7%, 3 renal cell carcinomas 25% and 1 carcinoma of the adrenal gland, 8.3%). 4 of the secondary tumors had pegs into the IVC. The RO resection rate was 83%. The perioperative morbidity was 33%; whereas, the hospital mortality was 8.3% (n = 1). Surgical reconstruction of IVC was achieved in each case (100%). There was a mean postoperative observation period of 20 months (range, 1-58 months). Complete follow-up documentation was obtained for all of the patients (100%). Three patients experienced recurrent tumor growth (27.5% out of n = 11). While the overall mortality through the follow up observation period was 27.5%, the tumor-specific mortality was 16%.


CONCLUSIONS
The primary surgical aim is RO resection to provide a long-term outcome with no tumor recurrence including the reconstruction of the IVC based on a reasonable risk-to-benefit ratio. The favorable outcome of this case series demonstrates that IVC-associated tumor lesions can be approached if there is an appropriate expertise of the surgical team, a sufficient perioperative management and an adequate financial background with a reasonable survival rate. The variable prognosis of the various tumor lesions depends on tumor entity, stage, resection status and individual risk factors.
Eder
F
F
Department of General, Abdominal and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital, Magdeburg, Germany.
Halloul
Z
Z
Meyer
F
F
Huth
C
C
Lippert
H
H
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012008:Recurrence; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*