Pseudocapsule of renal cell carcinoma associated with Xp11.2 translocation/TFE3 gene fusion: a clue for tumor enucleation?

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of tumor enucleation (TE) for patients with small renal cell carcinoma (RCC) associated with Xp11.2 translocation/TFE3 gene fusion (Xp11.2 RCC) by analyzing the pseudocapsule characteristics of Xp11.2 RCCs comparing with that of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). METHODS From June 2007 to February 2014, 22 patients with Xp11.2 RCC who were diagnosed by fluorescence in-situ hybridization polyclonal (FISH) assay and 32 patients with ccRCC treated in our institution were comparatively studied. 12 patients with ccRCC underwent radical nephrectomy (RN) and 20 received TE. Among 22 patients with Xp11.2 RCC, 19 were treated by RN and 3 by TE (1 by radiofrequency ablation assisted TE). Pseudocapsule and other clinicopathological characteristics of the two subtypes of RCC were compared. Survival of patients treated with different surgical methods was evaluated and compared. RESULTS Pseudocapsule incidence of Xp11.2 RCC (14/22, 63.6%) was lower than that of ccRCC (32/32, 100%, P<0.001). However, pseudocapsule integrity rate of Xp11.2 RCC (10/14, 71.4%) was comparable with that of ccRCC (23/32, 71.9%, P=1.000). The 5-year overall survival of patients with ccRCC treated with RN and TE was 86% and 81%, respectively (P=0.845). Three patients with small Xp11.2 RCC performed well after TE. CONCLUSIONS Over half Xp11.2 RCC had pseudocapsules, whose integrity rate was comparable to that of ccRCC. Treatment effectives of TE and RN were comparable in ccRCC. A preliminary attempt to treat small Xp11.2 RCC with intact pseudocapsule by using TE produced a favorable treatment outcome.