Outcomes following cytoreductive nephrectomy without immediate postoperative systemic therapy for patients with synchronous metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background: While the recent CARMENA trial evaluated upfront cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) among patients treated with immediate subsequent systemic therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), the role of CN in patients not immediately requiring systemic therapy remains to be determined.

Objective: To describe the oncologic outcomes of patients with de-novo synchronous mRCC who underwent CN +/- metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) and subsequent surveillance without planned immediate post-CN systemic therapy.

Design, setting, participants: Adults who underwent CN for unilateral, sporadic mRCC between 1996 and 2016 without immediate postoperative systemic therapy were identified using the prospectively-maintained Mayo Clinic Nephrectomy Registry. Co-primary outcomes were survival free of systemic therapy or death and overall-survival.

Results: Of 156 patients who met inclusion criteria for study, 37 (24%) patients were managed after CN with surveillance alone and 119 (76%) underwent MDT. Seventy-two patients ultimately initiated systemic therapy at a median of 0.7 years (IQR 0.3-1.7). Median follow-up among survivors was 6.2 years (IQR 4.4-9.5), during which time 133 patients died. At 1, 3, and 5 years, survival free of systemic therapy or death rates were 47%, 21% and 14% and overall-survival rates were 69%, 37%, and 28%.

Conclusion: Among carefully selected patients managed with surveillance after CN +/- MDT, approximately half may avoid systemic therapy for 1 year, with a subset achieving long-term survival free of systemic therapy or death. Having a single metastatic site and disease amenable to complete metastasectomy are features of patients who might be well served with upfront CN +/- MDT.

Keywords: Cytoreductive nephrectomy; Metastasis directed therapy; Metastatic renal cell carcinoma; Surveillance; Systemic therapy.