title: Cytoreductive nephrectomy in the elderly: a population-based cohort from the USA.
abstract: Study Type - Therapy (cohort) Level of Evidence 2b What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? While cytoreductive nephrectomy is associated with a survival benefit in the context of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, the rates of morbidity and perioperative mortality remain non-negligible. For example, perioperative mortality may be as high as 21% in elderly patients. The study shows that perioperative death amongst the elderly was substantially lower than what was previously reported from a single institutional report. Nonetheless, postoperative adverse outcomes were non-negligible in elderly patients relative to their younger counterparts. In consequence, these rates should be discussed at informed consent and a rigorous patient selection remains essential.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  • To examine the rate of perioperative mortality (PM), and other adverse outcomes in 'elderly' patients treated with cytoreductive nephrectomy (CNT).
  
  
  METHODS
  • Patients who underwent CNT for metastatic renal cell carcinoma were abstracted from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (1998-2007). 'Elderly' was defined as ≥ 75 years, according to previous definition. • Endpoints consisted of PM, intraoperative and postoperative complications, blood transfusions and length of stay. • We adjusted for the effect of elderly status within five separate logistic regression models. Covariates consisted of comorbidity, race, gender, year of surgery and hospital region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  • Overall, CNT was performed in 504 (15.3%) elderly patients and in 2796 (84.7%) 'younger' patients (<75 years). • The rate of PM was 4.8% in elderly patients vs 1.9% in the younger patients (P < 0.001). Similarly, the rates of blood transfusions (29.8 vs 21.5%), postoperative complications (27.8 vs 22.8%), and prolonged length of stay (≥ 8 days) were higher in the elderly (45.0 vs 32.0%; all P < 0.001). • In multivariable analyses, elderly patients were 2.2-, 1.5-, and 1.6 fold more likely to experience PM, to receive a blood transfusion and to be hospitalized ≥ 8 days than the younger patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Although the rate of PM was substantially lower than 21%, elderly patients are significantly more likely to die after this type of surgery, to receive a transfusion, and to experience a prolonged length of stay. • These facts and figures should be discussed at informed consent and a rigorous patient selection is essential.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, Canada. mcw.sun@umontreal.ca
authors.forename: Maxine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Firas
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abdollah
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmitges
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Shahrokh F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Shariat
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zorn
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pharand
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graefen
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montorsi
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perrotte
authors.forename: Pierre I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Karakiewicz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States