Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prediction of Postoperative Mortality Risk in Patients with Non-metastatic Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Abstract

IntroductionSarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (sRCC) is rare but highly aggressive and is associated with poor prognosis and limited treatment responsiveness. Despite several studies investigating its clinicopathological features, existing research is often limited by small sample sizes and short follow-up periods, and currently, no prognostic risk model is specific to patients with non-metastatic sRCC. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with non-metastatic sRCC and develop a predictive model for postoperative mortality risk.MethodsIn this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical data of 45 patients diagnosed with non-metastatic sRCC who underwent surgical treatment at our institution's Department of Urology, between January 2008 and June 2024. These patients were compared with 527 patients with non-sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (non-sRCC). The primary endpoint was death, and the exact cause of death was recorded. Routine postoperative examinations and treatment details were documented through outpatient and inpatient electronic medical record systems.ResultsThe results indicated significant differences in body mass index, hypertension, surgical approach, nephrectomy type, surgical duration, maximum tumor diameter, tumor necrosis, T stage, and Ki-67 expression between patients with sRCC and those with non-sRCC (P < 0.05). Survival analysis revealed that the cancer-specific survival (CSS) for patients with sRCC was significantly lower than that for patients with non-sRCC (P < 0.001). Cox univariate and multivariate analyses identified maximum pathological tumor diameter, T stage, and high Ki-67 expression as independent risk factors. Based on these factors, we developed a postoperative mortality risk prediction model for patients with sRCC, with the calibration curves demonstrating a good fit of the model.ConclusionsThe proposed model is designed for patients with non-metastatic sRCC. It has potential clinical application value, aiding in the identification of high-risk patients and providing guidance for individualized treatment and close follow-up.