Renal cell carcinoma: long-term survival and late recurrence.

In a series of 506 patients with renal cell carcinoma survival was analyzed in terms of pathologic stage, histologic grade, and a combination of stage and grade. Data reveal that stage, grade and the combination are important prognostic indicators. Invasion of the renal pelvis is not an important factor in staging the disease. Women had a better survival rate than men. The prognosis for patients with dark cell tumors was no worse than that for patients with clear cell tumors when correlated with the more important factors of tumor stage and grade. Renal vein involvement alone, excluding concomitant capsular or nodal involvement, had an adverse effect on survival. Of the patients who survived 10 years from the date of nephrectomy 11 per cent had late recurrence.