Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma: analysis of 53 cases

To discuss the pathological and clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC).

We developed a database that contained 1,870 patients who were diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and who underwent surgery in our hospital between 2002 and 2010. Afterward, the clinical and pathological data of 53 CRCC cases were extracted and analyzed.

The mean age of the 53 patients at diagnosis was 50.2 years (range, 21–88 years), and the ratio of male to female was 1:1. All tumors were unilateral and a majority of them (69.8%) were discovered incidentally. The mean tumor size was 5.8 ± 3.2 cm (range, 2–20 cm). Stage T1, T2, and T3 tumors, in accordance with 2004 TNM classification, accounted for 75.5, 13.2 and 11.3% of all cases, respectively. By histologic grading, 11.3, 73.6 and 15.1% of the tumors were G1, G2, and G3, respectively. Forty-one (77.4%) patients underwent radical nephrectomy, 12 (22.6%) underwent partial nephrectomy. Forty-five (84.9%) patients with follow-up results were alive after a mean follow-up of 34 months (range, 4–79 months). Tumor metastasis was discovered in 2 patients: one tumor metastasis was found in the liver 4 months postoperation, and the other was found in the lumbar vertebrae 47 months postoperation. No local recurrence was found. The overall survival rate was 100%.

CRCC is an uncommon subtype of RCC, with a favorable prognosis. Chinese patients are seemingly younger at diagnosis. Prediction of prognosis is still difficult.