Rate of Metastasis by Tumor Diameter

Lughezzani, et. al. presented their retrospective study of 22,204 patients via the SEER database suggesting a strong correlation among Tumor Size and the potential for Metastasis.  In the study population the Synchronous Metastasis Rate was 9.6%, including 5.6% vs 14.2% for T1a vs T1b. Stratification by 1 cm tumor size intervals revealed that the Synchronous Metastasis Rate increased with increasing Tumor Size, (p<0.001).  Further analysis showed that Tumor Size was virtually linearly related to the Synchronous Metastasis Rate.  Stratification by histological subtype in patients treated with Nephrectomy revealed that Clear Cell Renal Cell Cancer was most frequently associated with Synchronous Metastasis.  Finally, Tumor Size was an independent predictor of Synchronous Metastasis in multivariate regression models adjusted for age, gender, histological subtype and year of diagnosis quartiles.  

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).