Changes in symptoms of renal cell carcinoma over four decades

Abstract

of 970 patients with 982 RCC tumours were analysed. Primary symptoms were recorded and changes were analysed in three groups, i.e. diagnoses made before 1980, in the 1980s and in the 1990s. Symptoms were also analysed according to stage, tumour class, gender and age. RESULTSThe incidence of haematuria ( P < 0.01) and an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( P < 0.001) decreased, but there was no change in other symptoms. Incidental diagnoses increased from 12% to 19% ( P < 0.01). Less chronic or systemic symptoms were noted more recently. Stage and tumour class were highly correlated with symptoms: systemic symptoms increased (24% in stage I to 72% in stage IV, a highly statistically significant increase) and asymptomatic tumours became rarer (27% in stage I to 8% in stage IV, again a highly significant increase) with increasing stage. Haematuria was more common in male patients, anaemia and flank pain in women. Elderly patients were more often asymptomatic than younger patients, with 70-79-year-olds being the least symptomatic. CONCLUSIONSIncidental cases of RCC have recently become more common. Haematuria, hypersedimentation, chronic and systemic symptoms have decreased. Stage, tumour class, gender and age are correlated with symptoms.

Kidney cancer in Sweden: A decrease in incidence and tumour stage, 1979 – 2001

“…This decrease has continued, according to the prospective national kidney cancer registry, which reports a mean tumour size of 6.9 cm for the period 2005-2009 [24]. Thus, it appears that the trends are being followed of detecting smaller tumours and diagnosing the disease at an earlier stage, as has been noticed in other Nordic data [25,26]. The generally increased access to CT scans and ultrasound in hospitals in Sweden supports this contention.…”

Clinicohistological characteristics of renal cell carcinoma in children: A multicentre study

“…4,5,[12][13][14] Currently, about 50% to 68% of adult RCC patients are diagnosed incidentally. [15][16][17] In our study, 76.3% of adult patients were diagnosed incidentally with an RCC, and 4.3% of patients presented with symptoms not related to the renal tumour. In other studies, symptomatic patients tend to be children.…”

Misdiagnosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

“…14 General clinical characteristics Historically, the single most frequent manifestation of RCC was the presence of hematuria, reported in 30-60% of patients in most series. 15 Associated flank pain was reported in about 15-50% of the cases, and a palpable mass was found in 20-50% of the patients in the old series. 15 The classic triad of symptoms-hematuria, pain, and a flank mass-occurred in <20% of patients with RCCs.…”

“…15 Associated flank pain was reported in about 15-50% of the cases, and a palpable mass was found in 20-50% of the patients in the old series. 15 The classic triad of symptoms-hematuria, pain, and a flank mass-occurred in <20% of patients with RCCs.…”