ABSTRACT

Objective:

Today, there is still controversy about the role of lymphadenectomy in kidney tumours despite recent advances in the diagnosis and management. Role of lymphadenectomy in kidney tumours is revised in this paper.

New findings:

Benefit of lymphadenectomy is limited in early stage localized kidney tumours (T1-2N0M0) which is largely encountered today. However, lymphadenectomy offers significant survival advantage both in locally advanced tumours (T3-4N0M0) and in patients with lymph node metastasis (N+). Lymphadenectomy might provide survival benefit in patients with distant metastasis (M+) by increasing the effectiveness of adjuvant therapies. Extent of lymph node dissection is still a matter of debate.

Conclusion:

Lymphadenectomy might be performed where correct pathologic staging is needed for deciding adjuvant therapies and for advanced cases in terms of survival benefit. Benefits and risks must be weighed and patients should be evaluated individually for lymphadenectomy.