Laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy for adrenocortical carcinoma: surgical and oncologic outcome in 152 patients.
BACKGROUND
The role of laparoscopic adrenalectomy in the treatment of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is controversial.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to compare oncologic outcome in patients with ACC who underwent either open adrenalectomy (OA) or laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) for localised disease.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective analysis of 152 patients with stage I-III ACC with a tumour < or =10 cm registered with the German ACC Registry.


METHODS
Patients were stratified into two groups according to the surgical procedure (LA or OA). For comparison, we used both a matched pairs approach by selecting for each patient from the LA group (n=35) one corresponding patient from the OA group (n=117) and multivariate analysis in all 152 patients.


METHODS
Disease-specific survival was chosen as the predefined primary end point. Secondary end points were recurrence-free survival, frequency of tumour capsule violation and postoperative peritoneal carcinomatosis, and incidence and reasons for conversion from LA to OA.


CONCLUSIONS
LA and OA did not differ with regard to the primary end point using either the matched pairs approach (hazard ratio [HR] for death: 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-1.72; p=0.55) or multivariate analysis (HR for death: 0.98; 95% CI, 0.51-1.92; p=0.92). Similarly, adjusted recurrence-free survival was not different between LA and OA (HR: 0.91; 95% CI, 0.56-1.47; p=0.69). Frequency of tumour capsule violation and peritoneal carcinomatosis were comparable between groups. In 12 of 35 patients of the LA group, surgery was converted to open surgery with no impact on the clinical outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
For localised ACC with a diameter of < or =10 cm, LA by an experienced surgeon is not inferior to OA with regard to oncologic outcome.
Brix
David
D
Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Allolio
Bruno
B
Fenske
Wiebke
W
Agha
Ayman
A
Dralle
Henning
H
Jurowich
Christian
C
Langer
Peter
P
Mussack
Thomas
T
Nies
Christoph
C
Riedmiller
Hubertus
H
Spahn
Martin
M
Weismann
Dirk
D
Hahner
Stefanie
S
Fassnacht
Martin
M
D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods*; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult