Incidental renal cell carcinoma: analysis of 109 cases

To study the characteristics, diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of incidental renal cell carcinoma(RCC). 109 cases of incidental RCC treated in 20 years were analyzed retrospectively and compared with 247 cases of non-incidental RCC. The age, sex and side between incidental RCC and non-incidental RCC were not significant (P > 0.05). Compared to the non-incidental RCC,the diameter of incidental RCC [(4.1 +/- 1.7) cm] was smaller and its stage was lower (P < 0.01). Ultrasonography and CT can improve the detection rate of incidental RCC significantly, and operation is more effective for incidental RCC than for non-incidental RCC (P < 0.01). The 3 and 5 year cancer specific survival rates in patients with incidental RCC were higher than those of non-incidental RCC(P < 0.01). The detection rate of incidental RCC was higher from 1990 to 1999 (39.3%) than from 1980 to 1989 (15.6%) (P < 0.01). Incidental RCC is not another type of RCC, but a developing stage of RCC without appearance of a symptoms. Ultrasonography an