Historical data showed worse perioperative outcomes after cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in older patients. Additionally, the CARMENA trial questioned the survival benefit of cytoreductive CN. We reassessed complication, failure to rescue (FTR) and mortality rates after CN in a contemporary cohort of older patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

From National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2008-2015), mRCC patients treated with CN were abstracted. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models tested for the relationship between age (≤55 vs. 56-70 vs ≥71 years), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and modified Frailty Index (mFI) categories and complications, FTR and in-hospital mortality. All models were clustered, weighted and adjusted for all available patient and hospital characteristics.

Of 3644 mRCC patients treated with CN, 924 (25.4%) were ≥ 71 years old, 435 (11.9%) had CCI ≥ 2 and 749 (20.6%) were frail. In multivariable logistic regression models, age ≥ 71 (odds ratio [OR] 1.4, p < .001), CCI ≥ 2 (OR 1.88, p < .001) and frail status (OR 1.91, p < .001) were independent predictors of overall complications. Age ≥ 71 was also an independent predictor of FTR (OR 2.27, p = .04), but not of in-hospital mortality. Both CCI and mFI were not significantly associated with either FTR or in-hospital mortality.

Older patients with mRCC are more likely to experience higher rates of overall complications, FTR and in-hospital mortality following CN. These results highlight the importance of rigorous selection criteria for older surgical candidates. Moreover, timely recognition and rapid response to complications are particularly critical in this population.

Journal of geriatric oncology. 2019 Jun 27 [Epub ahead of print]

Carlotta Palumbo, Sophie Knipper, Cristina Dzyuba-Negrean, Angela Pecoraro, Giuseppe Rosiello, Zhe Tian, Shahrokh F Shariat, Claudio Simeone, Alberto Briganti, Fred Saad, Alfredo Berruti, Alessandro Antonelli, Pierre I Karakiewicz

Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Urology Unit, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Science and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy. Electronic address: ., Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany., Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada., Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Urology, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, Turin, Italy., Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, Urological Research Institute (URI), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy., Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Departments of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, NY, New York, USA; Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Urology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Institute for Urology and Reproductive Health, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia., Urology Unit, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Science and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy., Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, Urological Research Institute (URI), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy., Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Urology, University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada., Medical Oncology Unit, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Science and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy.

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