Surgeon's Preferences Dictate Choice of Kidney Canc... ( Candidates for less radical procedure...)

Surgeon's Preferences Dictate Choice of Kidney Cancer Surgery

Date:3/10/2008

Candidates for less radical procedures may not be getting them, study says

MONDAY, March 10 (HealthDay News) -- A surgeon's skills and preferences may dictate treatment choices for kidney cancer more than clinical factors such as tumor size or the patient's general health, a new study finds.

This means many patients who are candidates for less radical surgical procedures, such as a partial nephrectomy where only part of the kidney is removed, may not be getting them, the California researchers said.

"The world of medicine is slow to incorporate new technology," acknowledged Dr. Patrick Lowry, an assistant professor of surgery at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. "It's kind of like a family tree. When more people are trained in it, they go out and spread it to others."

"Partial nephrectomy is more difficult and has more potential complications, and people may shy away from it," added Lowry, who's also section head of laparoscopy and endourology at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple.

Radical nephrectomy, or removing the entire kidney, remains the gold standard for treating early-stage kidney cancer. While the procedure has a greater than 90 percent cure rate, it increases the risk of developing chronic kidney disease, the study authors said.

Over the past two decades, partial nephrectomy and laparoscopy (minimally invasive surgery) have started to make inroads in the field. These newer alternatives are easier on the patient and equally effective at controlling the cancer, yet not used anywhere nearly as often as radical nephrectomy, the researchers noted.

"On a national level, less than half of patients are getting one or the other [partial nephrectomy or laparoscopy] for small tumors," said study author Dr. David Miller, a clinical instructor in urology at the University of California, Los Angeles. "The question is whether there's some reason at a pati
'/>"/>

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3
Related medicine news :

1. MedHelp to Add Top Stanford Surgeons and Specialized Forums to Online Health Community
2. Surgeons Remove Gallbladder Through Vagina
3. CRH Medical to exhibit at American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress
4. Cosmetic Surgeons Gather in Dubai for World Congress, Hospital Opening
5. Starion Instruments Launches Next-Generation Tissue Ligating Shears at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress
6. Patients should ask surgeons about using honey to heal wounds
7. Expert Neurosurgeons and Neuro-oncologists to Speak at 6th Annual Brain Tumor Awareness Day Convention
8. Survey shows gender differences are factor when surgeons in training choose a subspecialty
9. American College of Surgeons Comments on JAMA Article on Surgeon Shortage
10. Holiday Hand Safety 101: Hand Surgeons Offer Tips for a Safe Carving Season
11. Over 600 Surgeons Certified to use TruFUSE(R) to Treat Back Pain Sufferers

Post Your Comments:

Surgeon's Preferences Dictate Choice of Kidney Canc...( Candidates for less radical procedure...),Health