Feasibility of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for metastatic adrenal tumors in selected patients: a retrospective multicenter study of Japanese populations

Background Because of the small numbers of cases in single centers, the indications for and survival benefits of adrenalectomy for adrenal metastasis remain unclear. We evaluated the outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for patients with adrenal metastasis. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the records of 67 patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy for metastatic disease from 2003 to 2017 at 11 hospitals. Associations of clinical, surgical, and pathologic features with overall survival (OS) and positive surgical margins were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and univariate logistic regression analysis. Results Lung cancer (30%) and renal cell carcinoma (30%) were the most common primary tumor types. Intraoperative complications were observed in seven patients (10%) and postoperative complications in seven (10%). The surgical margin was positive in 10 patients (15%). The median OS was 3.8 years. Univariate analysis showed that the tumor size, episodes of extra-adrenal metastasis before adrenalectomy, extra-adrenal metastasis at the time of adrenalectomy, and positive surgical margins were significantly associated with shorter OS (p = 0.022, p = 0.005, p < 0.001, and p = 0.022, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that extra-adrenal metastasis at the time of adrenalectomy and positive surgical margins remained statistically significant (p = 0.022 and p = 0.049, respectively). In the univariate analysis, the tumor size was significantly associated with positive surgical margins (p = 0.039). Conclusions Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for adrenal metastasis can be safely performed in selected patients, and patients with isolated adrenal metastasis and negative surgical margins seem to have more favorable outcomes.