Dr. Touijer on Surgical Options for Patients with RCC

Karim A. Touijer, MD, MPH, surgeon, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the considering factors for surgical options for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

In establishing the indications for which surgical option is most effective for patients with RCC—partial nephrectomy or radical nephrectomy—Touijer says the decision is based on a number of criteria. Some of these criteria are related to the individual surgeon who may have a different skill set, which, by itself, influences the choice of surgery that is conducted.

Other considering factors include patient preferences and public health issues. In looking at large data sets, researchers found that patients who are treated in rural areas, do not have private health insurance, or are on a specific socioeconomic level influence whether they receive 1 treatment versus another. These type of patients are typically offered radical nephrectomy as opposed to nephron-sparing surgery,