Preoperative evaluation of renal cell carcinoma patients with bone metastases on risks for blood loss, performance status and lethal event

Background Surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma metastases can be an effective modality for improving survival and patients' quality of life. However, it is often difficult to decide on the optimal surgical approach due to the lesion's high vascularity and uncertainty regarding postoperative performance status and survival. Patients and methods Blood loss, postoperative performance status, overall survival, postoperative complication and related risk factors for surgical treatment were analysed in 61 renal cell carcinoma patients with bone metastases. Results Pelvic location and impending/pathological fracture in the metastatic lesion were both significant risk factors for increased blood loss. An unresectable primary lesion and poor preoperative performance status were independent risk factors for poor postoperative performance status. A shorter duration from the discovery of primary lesion to bone metastasis, the number of metastases, and unresectable primary lesion were independent risk factors for shorter survival. Postoperative complications were identified in 15 cases (24.6%). Conclusion The preoperative prediction of intraoperative blood loss, performance status and survival in renal cell carcinoma patients with bone metastases may be possible based on the risk factors identified in this study.