Growing incidence in renal cell carcinoma

To analyze the change in the behavior of renal cell carcinoma for its presentation, treatment, histology and mortality during a 17 year period. Retrospective study on 212 patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in our Department from the year 1988 up to 2004, analyzing the clinical and demographic data and comparing them to each other according to two periods: 1988-1996 and 1997-2004. An increase has been appreciated in the incidence of renal tumors in the second period and in a same way an increase in the incidental diagnosis and in the practice of nephron sparing surgery. Clear cell type was the most frequent in both periods and tumoral size was higher in the first period than in second. TNM stage I was the most frequent, although in first period it was higher percentage of stage IV. Cause-specific mortality has increased in the last years. An increase is appreciated in the incidence of renal cell tumors. Although the diagnosis is in earlier stages, a descent in the mortality has not been found.