Objective: To explore the diagnosis and treatment of cystic renal cell carcinoma.
Methods: A total of 14 cases of cystic renal cell carcinoma were reviewed and analyzed. Their age range was 40 to 71 years old. Preoperative CT (computed tomography) scan revealed renal cyst-relative masses in 14 cases. The lesions were accompanied by calcification (n = 4) and with septa (n = 8). The preoperative diagnosis was a complex cystic mass in all but 2. Intraoperative pathological examination was undertaken in 12 cases. The findings were malignant cystic renal clear cell carcinoma (n = 10), renal cyst (n = 1) and multi-cell renal cyst (n = 1). The procedures included radical nephrectomy (n = 6), retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (n = 4), retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (n = 2), retroperitoneal laparoscopic cyst unroofed plus radical nephrectomy (n = 1) and retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy plus radical nephrectomy (n = 1).
Results: All 14 cases were confirmed postoperatively as cystic renal clear cell carcinoma. All patients received a mean follow-up period of 26 months (range: 4 - 72). Their overall results were excellent with no evidence of neoplastic recurrence or metastasis.
Conclusion: Preoperative CT scan may aid the diagnosis of cystic renal clear cell carcinoma. Intraoperative pathological examination should be performed in suspected cases. Nephron-sparing surgery is indicated. Its prognosis is generally favorable.