Abstract

The manner of presentation, tumor stage and radiological techniques which are used in diagnosis in 22 consecutive patients with renal cell carcinoma who were treated surgically between 1981 and 1990, and in 120 patients treated similarly between 1991 and 2000, were reviewed.

Two patients (9%) were discovered incidentally between 1981 and 1990 compared with 20 (16,6%) between 1991 and 2000. The renal tumors were discovered incidentally at the time of intravenous urography (IVU) (9%), ultrasound (US) (68%) and computed tomography (CT) (23%). There were 13 stage I (59%) and stage II (22,7%) lesions, as assessed patologically after nephrectomy, in incidental group. The two groups were not significantly different with regard to the ratio of clinically localized (T1-T2) tumors in each group (p=0.215). The mean tumor diameter was 75 mm and 105.4 mm in the incidentally diagnosed and symptomatic groups, respectively.

Rutine utilization of the advanced radiological techniques increased the identification of incidental renal tumors but not leading to early diagnosis and lower disease stage.