Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the pancreas: Clinical features and treatment outcome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the pancreas (PM-RCC) is infrequent; we sought to describe the characteristics of PM-RCC and analyze the outcome following treatment. METHODS: Data of 3107 mRCC patients treated between 1992 and 2007 from the Korean Renal Cancer Study Group database were obtained to identify 300 (9.7%) PM-RCC patients. Characteristics and survival were analyzed and compared to the rest of the mRCC, according to the timing of metastasis and surgical treatments received. RESULTS: PM-RCC was younger at initial diagnosis (55.0 vs. 58.2 years), more frequently in women (30.3% vs. 22.3%), and metachronous (65.3% vs. 41.9%) with a longer disease-free period (82.0 vs. 33.0 months). Overall survival (OS) was significantly better in PM-RCC but pancreas metastasectomy was associated with improved OS only among metachronous PM-RCC. In the 132 metachronous PM-RCC with pancreas metastasectomy, median recurrence-free survival was 17.2 months and we found Heng risk group (hazard ratio HR = 2.384, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.213-4.684), younger age (HR = 0.965, 95% CI = 0.945-0.987), shorter interval to pancreas metastasis (HR = 0.993, 95% CI = 0.986-0.999), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status to be predictive of early progression following pancreas metastasectomy. CONCLUSION: Compared to the other mRCC, PM-RCC demonstrated a favorable prognosis. Pancreas metastasectomy was associated with prolonged survival in the metachronous PM-RCC with a long progression-free period.