Cytoreductive Nephrectomy and Overall Survival of Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Targeted Therapy—Data from the National Renis Registry

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma is traditionally initiated with the removal of the diseased kidney with the tumor in many patients. However, there is ongoing controversy about the benefit of kidney removal if targeted therapy is used. The present paper analyses a large cohort of patients, and the results indicate that primary tumor removal should still be strongly considered in patients who are treated with targeted therapies. ABSTRACT: The role of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in treatment of locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in the era of targeted therapies (TT) is still not clearly defined. The study population consisted of 730 patients with synchronous mRCC. The RenIS (Renal carcinoma Information System) registry was used as the data source. The CN/TT cohort included patients having CN within 3 months from the mRCC diagnosis and subsequently being treated with TT, while the TT cohort included patients receiving TT upfront. Median progression-free survival from the first intervention was 6.7 months in the TT arm and 9.3 months in the CN/TT patients (p < 0.001). Median overall survival was 14.2 and 27.2 months, respectively (p < 0.001). Liver metastasis, high-grade tumor, absence of CN, non-clear cell histology, and MSKCC (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) poor prognosis status were associated with adverse treatment outcomes. According to the results of this retrospective study, patients who underwent CN and subsequently were treated with TT had better outcomes compared to patients treated with upfront TT. The results of the study support the use of CN in the treatment algorithm for mRCC.