Positive Surgical Margins Rare After Partial Nephrectomy

Positive surgical margins (PSMs) are rare in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy (PN) for kidney cancer, researchers found.

A nonsystematic literature review by Martin Marszalek, MD, of Donauspital, Vienna, Austria, and colleagues revealed that PSMs are present in 0%-7% of patients following open PN, 0.7%-4% after laparoscopic PN, and 3.9%-5.7% after robot-assisted PN, according to a report in European Urology (published online ahead of print).

Intermediate follow-up data show that the vast majority of patients with PSMs after PN remain without local or distant tumor recurrence. “Therefore,” the authors concluded, “a surveillance strategy with adherence to a vigilant follow-up protocol seems to be preferable over surgical reintervention.”

From the March 01, 2012 Issue of Renal and Urology News