Percutaneous microwave ablation under ultrasound guidance for renal cell carcinomas at clinical staging T1 in patients aged 65 years and older: A comparative study

Objectives: To ascertain the clinical outcomes of patients aged ≥65 years with clinical staging T1 (cT1) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) under ultrasound control compared with those aged <65. Materials and methods: From September 2009 to December 2016, clinical data of two groups, Group O (≥ 65 years) consisting of 75 patients (76 RCCs) and Group Y (< 65 years) consisting of 91 patients (99 RCCs), who underwent MWA treatment for RCC with comparable mean diameters at baseline, were retrospectively evaluated. The methodological effectiveness, cumulative overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), local tumor progression (LTP), major and minor complications, and renal performance, including serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) between the two categories, were statistically assessed by SPSS. Results: After excision, there were no significant differences between the two groups concerning technical efficacy, LTP, and major and minor complications. The cumulative OS and DFS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years in Group O versus Group Y were 100%, 92.6%, and 92.6% versus 98.6%, 96.9%, and 90.9% (P = 0.701), and 100%, 92.5%, and 92.5% versus 98.6%, 96.9%, and 90.4% (P = 0.697), respectively. There was no significant variance between serum Cr and BUN between the two groups before MWA and at the last follow-up. Conclusion: Due to the corresponding clinical outcomes for the treatment of cT1 RCCs in patients aged <65 years and ≥65 years, the US-guided MWA is a safe and effective method and may be suggested as one of the first-line nonsurgical options for identified older patients.