Tumor Growth Rate
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As presented by Lughezzani, et. al., the risk of patient mortality increases with the probability of metastasis; and the probability of metastasis increases with Tumor Size. Therefore, for Stage I or II patients whose Tumor is still small and localized, prognosticating the Tumor Growth Rate is essential to predicting the onset of CKD, metastasis, and death at a later time.
Most RCC Tumors are indolent and grow very slowly. In fact, approximately 30% of RCC Tumors do not demonstrate growth at all and no patient with zero growth Tumors have developed metastatic disease. The mortality of these patients are more likely to be associated with non-Cancer related causes, than their Kidney Cancer. In contrast, growth rates of more aggressive Tumors will typically grow exponentially and then slow as the Tumor gets larger. Finally, although Tumor Size is associated with the risk of metastasis, Tumor Size is not correlated with the potential for future Tumor growth. |
Risk of Metastasis, by Tumor Growth Rate
Source: Lughezzani, et al. “Tumor size is a determinant of the rate of stage T1 renal cell cancer synchronous metastasis.” The Journal of Urology (2009).
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