Partial nephrectomy (PN) may help prevent renal insufficiency, hypertension, and other unfavorable health outcomes in older people with nonmetastatic T1a renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to a study involving >4,500 individuals. Participants were ≥75 years of age with surgically-treated nonmetastatic T1a RCC. Investigators looked at the impact partial vs radical nephrectomy had on other-cause, cancer-specific, and 30-day mortality. Among the results:

• 42% of patients had partial nephrectomy.
• Those undergoing partial nephrectomy were 33% less likely than those who had radical nephrectomy to experience other-cause mortality.
• The favorable outcome was seen across all ages evaluated.
• Those in the partial nephrectomy group were 36% less likely to experience cancer-specific mortality.
• 30-day mortality rates did not differ.