There is little information about which laboratory and imaging study and when should be taken to assess patients after nephrectomy of renal cell carcinoma. Commonly ordered tests during the postoperative followup include serum liver function,
studies,
chest X-ray, and abdominal pelvic scomputerized tomography. Less commonly used test include test include bone scans ans chest computerized tomography.
To define better which patients require more intensive dfollowup, we retrosdpectively reviewed 52 patients who underwent underwent radical nephrectomy with a final pathological diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma. Of dthe patients 8 were excluded
for
node
positive or extension to an adjacent organ. Among the remaining 44 kpatients, localized disease 15 cases with stage T1N0M0 recurred null,. 16 cases with stage T2N0M0 recdurred in 12.5%, 9 cases with T3aN0M0 and 4 cases with T3bN0M0 recurreed in
55.6%
and 100% respectively. The average interval to recurr was 22 for patients with stage T2 tumor and 16.8 kmonths with stage T3a, and 5.7 kmonths for those with stage T3b disease.
Based on our data, followup studies should be done appropriately and cost effectively according to the pathological stage of disease.
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