Oncologic outcome of 132 cases of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with intact specimen removal for T1-2N0M0 renal cell carcinoma

We present the short and long-term oncologic outcome of 132 patients with pathologically confirmed T1–T2, N0M0 renal cell carcinoma (RCC), who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with intact specimen removal at our institution. Beginning January 1998, we prospectively collected data of 132 patients undergoing laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, whose final pathologic stage was T1 or T2, N0M0, RCC. The clinical data of three groups categorized as group (pT1a)—36 patients, group (pT1b)—51 patients and group (pT2)—45 patients were analyzed statistically to assess oncological outcome. The specimens were removed intact without morcellation in all patients in a homemade plastic bag. The total median follow-up was 56 months (range 3–80 months) and there were no local or port-site recurrences or hernia. Patients with pT2 tumors had significantly greater operating time, blood loss and analgesic requirements than pT1a/pT1b tumor patients. The distant metastases were found in 1, 4 and 5 patients in group pT1a, pT1b and pT2, respectively. The 5-year cancer-specific survival was 97.2, 86.3 and 82.2%, respectively, in pT1a, pT1b and pT2 tumor patients (significantly lower in pT2 than pT1a, P = 0.008). The 5-year recurrence-free survival was 97.2, 84.3 and 82.2%, respectively, in pT1a, pT1b and pT2 tumor patients (significantly lower in pT2 than pT1a, P = 0.02). Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (retroperitoneal and transperitoneal route) with intact specimen removal for localized renal cell carcinoma (T1-2N0M0) provides satisfactory short and long-term oncologic efficacy.