Vein Invasion in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Impact on Metastatic Behavior and Survival

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Abstract
The development of a thrombus extending into the veins is well recognized in renal cell carcinoma. We investigated the hypothesis that vein invasion alone has no adverse impact on survival but is a highly negative factor in other tumors. In 200 consecutive patients invasion of the renal vein and vena cava was evaluated and compared with the clinical course. A total of 26 patients had vena caval and 47 had renal vein invasion. Patients with venous invasion had a significantly shorter survival but no survival difference was demonstrated based on the level of involvement. Our study indicates that vein invasion itself seems to be an important prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma.