Renal Functional Outcome of Partial Nephrectomy for Complex R.E.N.A.L. Score Tumors With or Without Neoadjuvant Sunitinib: A Multicenter Analysis

Neoadjuvant sunitinib might facilitate partial nephrectomy (PN) in imperative indications. We performed a retrospective comparison of functional outcomes in patients who had and had not received neoadjuvant sunitinib before PN for imperative indications. We noted similar renal functional outcomes between the 2 groups. To the best of our knowledge, these findings represent the first such reported comparison. Background: Sunitinib might optimize the feasibility of partial nephrectomy (PN) for complex renal tumors with imperative indications. We compared the renal functional outcomes of patients with complex renal masses who had undergone sunitinib before PN with those of patients who had not required neoadjuvant sunitinib before PN. Patients and Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of patients with renal cell carcinoma who had undergone PN for a complex renal mass (R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score, 10-12) and imperative indications from January 2012 to July 2014. Neoadjuvant sunitinib was used in cases for which PN was not considered feasible. The cohort was divided into those patients who had undergone PN without neoadjuvant sunitinib and those who had undergone PN after sunitinib (no-neoadjuvant vs. neoadjuvant). The change in tumor size and R.E.N.A.L. score were assessed. The primary outcome was the change in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (ΔeGFR) from preoperatively to the last postoperative follow-up visit. Results: The data from 125 consecutive patients were analyzed (47 neoadjuvant and 78 no-neoadjuvant; median follow-up, 21 months). The neoadjuvant plus PN patients had had a greater median tumor size preoperatively (7.2 vs. 6 cm; P =.045). Sunitinib caused a significant decrease in the median tumor size (from 7.2 to 5.8 cm [19.4%]; P =.012) and R.E.N.A.L. score (from 11 to 9; P =.001). No significant differences were found between the neoadjuvant and no-neoadjuvant groups in the ischemia time (P =.413) or incidence of complications (P =.728). The median ΔeGFR was similar (neoadjuvant, 6.4; no-neoadjuvant, 6.1; P =.534). Linear regression analysis for factors associated with an increasing ΔeGFR demonstrated increasing age (estimate, −0.074; P =.009) increasing body mass index (estimate, −0.087; P =.043), and decreasing baseline eGFR (estimate, −0.104; P =.02) as significant factors. Conclusion: The use of neoadjuvant sunitinib might facilitate complex PN and result in renal functional outcomes similar to those of patients with a complex renal mass who had not required neoadjuvant sunitinib.