Renal Function Outcomes after Nephrectomy for Kidney Cancer in Elderly Patients

The kidneys are organs with multiple functions and essential to maintain life. Ablative procedures, such as nephrectomy, diminish nephron mass and can have a potentially negative impact on renal function. We investigated renal function outcome in patients who underwent nephrectomy for renal cell cancer with special emphasize on elderly patients. Data from 104 patients who underwent nephrectomy for kidney cancer in the Department of Urology, University Hospital Rijeka from January 2005 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had a normal concentration of serum creatinine and a normal contralateral kidney before surgery. Renal function, as estimated by the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), was determined before and after nephrectomy using the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. We compared the eGFR before and after nephrectomy in the patients of different age. The mean preoperative eGFR was 75.2 mL/min, and the mean postoperative eGFR was 52.7 mL/min (p<0.0001). In the group of patients >= 65 years old, the mean preoperative GFR was 69.2 mL/min, and the mean postoperative eGFR was 47.4 mL/min (p<0.0001). Our data indicate that the eGFR significantly decreased after nephrectomy for kidney cancer. In elderly patients, diminished renal function following nephrectomy was more prominent.