BACKGROUND: To evaluate survival rate, follow-up and renal function in patients treated with "nephron-sparing" approach due to cancer in a transplanted kidney. METHODS: During the 18 years' activity of our Transplantation Centre 3 renal carcinomas in transplanted kidneys (0.24%) have been found. Diagnoses were made in one case during transplantation procedures and, in the remaining two, 1 month and 10 years after. All tumours were unifocal, small (10, 12 and 18 mm of diameter), capsulated and low stage (T1). The resection of the mass ("nephron-sparing" surgery) and of a layer (1 cm thick) of the tissue surrounding the tumour was performed. The histological exam showed in all cases low grade (G2) renal cell carcinoma and negative surgical margins. RESULTS: 138, 94 and 15 months after transplant all patients are alive, without disease recurrence and with good renal function. In all cases the doses of immune-suppressive therapy were reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Renal cancer in transplanted kidneys is generally treated with nephrectomy. On the contrary, we decided to apply the same criteria which are accepted for the treatment of renal neoplasms in general and then to perform a "nephron-sparing" surgery when the tumour is small, capsulated and with negative surgical margins at the intraoperative histological exam. In personal experience good results from the oncologic and nephrologic point of view have been accomplished.
BACKGROUND: To evaluate survival rate, follow-up and renal function in patients treated with "nephron-sparing" approach due to cancer in a transplanted kidney. METHODS: During the 18 years' activity of our Transplantation Centre 3 renal carcinomas in transplanted kidneys (0.24%) have been found. Diagnoses were made in one case during transplantation procedures and, in the remaining two, 1 month and 10 years after. All tumours were unifocal, small (10, 12 and 18 mm of diameter), capsulated and low stage (T1). The resection of the mass ("nephron-sparing" surgery) and of a layer (1 cm thick) of the tissue surrounding the tumour was performed. The histological exam showed in all cases low grade (G2) renal cell carcinoma and negative surgical margins. RESULTS: 138, 94 and 15 months after transplant all patients are alive, without disease recurrence and with good renal function. In all cases the doses of immune-suppressive therapy were reduced. CONCLUSIONS:Renal cancer in transplanted kidneys is generally treated with nephrectomy. On the contrary, we decided to apply the same criteria which are accepted for the treatment of renal neoplasms in general and then to perform a "nephron-sparing" surgery when the tumour is small, capsulated and with negative surgical margins at the intraoperative histological exam. In personal experience good results from the oncologic and nephrologic point of view have been accomplished.