Epidemiology and Treatment Outcomes of Renal Cell Carcinoma in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study

Introduction and aim: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an aggressive malignant neoplasm that accounts for 90% of renal cancers with rising incidence worldwide. This study aimed to analyze the demographics and clinical profiles, histopathological presentations, and treatment outcomes of 73 RCC patients at a hospital in Qassim region, Saudi Arabia.

Methodology: This retrospective observational study was conducted at King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraidah, from October 2017 to July 2024. Census sampling included all patients diagnosed with RCC. Data on demographics, clinical, and histopathological characteristics were analyzed using SPSS version 26 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.).

Results: RCC was found to be more prevalent in males and older patients with common comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. Among the histopathological types of RCC, clear cell RCC (ccRCC) is most frequently reported in 60.3% of patients, followed by chromophobe RCC (chRCC) and papillary RCC (pRCC), in 16.4% and 11% of patients, respectively. Fuhrman grade 2 stage was seen in 65.8% of the tumors, indicating its moderately aggressive form. Incidental diagnoses accounted for 45.2% of patients, with 93.2% demonstrating no evidence of metastasis at diagnosis. The primary mode of treatment of RCC was the surgical procedure with laparoscopy, which was undergone in 52.1% of cases.

Conclusion: ccRCC exhibits the highest prevalence among the various forms of renal cancer, with the majority of cases being diagnosed incidentally. Despite the rising incidence, early diagnosis and improved screening strategies are yet to be elucidated to address the growing burden of RCC and its incidental finding rate in the Qassim region.