Age Does Not Impact Cancer Specific Mortality: From Sub-Distributional and Cause-Specific Hazard Analysis in RCC Patients Undergoing Radical Nephrectomy and Thrombectomy.

Objective: To assess the impact of age on cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and other-cause mortality (OCM) in patients undergoing radical nephrectomy with thrombectomy (RNTx) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with venous thrombus.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 196 patients who underwent RNTx for RCC with venous thrombus between 1990 and 2018 at a single tertiary referral center. Patients were categorized into three age groups: <60, 60-69, and ≥70 years. The cumulative incidence function (CIF) for CSM and OCM was calculated using the Aalen-Johansen estimator, and hazard ratios (HR) from sub-distributional hazard (SDH) and cause-specific hazard (CSH) models were employed to assess the impact of age on mortality.

Results: The median follow-up was 40.5 months. Of the 196 patients, 105 experienced disease progression, 125 had cancerrelated deaths, and 155 died from any cause. Perioperative outcomes, including ICU admission, 90-day readmission, and 90-day mortality, were similar across age groups. The CIF for 5-year CSM differed significantly among age groups (p = 0.032), though this difference was not observed at 10 years. OCM increased significantly with age, particularly in the ≥70 group at 10 years (p = 0.045). Multivariable SDH and CSH models showed no significant differences in CSM between age groups.

Conclusion: While age was associated with increased OCM, it did not significantly impact the hazard of CSM. Older age alone should not be considered a contraindication for surgical intervention in RCC with venous thrombus.