Gender Differences in the Clinical Management of clinical T1a Renal Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate gender differences in the management of clinical T1a (cT1a) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) before and after release of the AUA guidelines for management in 2009, which prioritized nephron-sparing approaches. METHODS: Patients aged ≥66 years diagnosed with cT1a RCC from 2004 to 2013 in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare were analyzed. Multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to evaluate factors associated with radical nephrectomy (RN) for cT1a RCC before (2004 to 2009) and after (2010 to 2013) guidelines release. Predictors of pathologic T3 upstaging and high grade pathology in the postguidelines period were examined using multivariable logistic regression among patients who underwent RN or partial nephrectomy. RESULTS: Twelve thousand four hundred and two patients with cT1a RCC were identified, 42% of whom were women. Overall, the likelihood of RN decreased postguidelines (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44, P <.001), but women were at increased odds of undergoing RN both before and after guideline release (OR = 1.27, P <.001 and OR = 1.37, P <.001, respectively) upon multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression. Tumor size >2 cm was also associated with increased likelihood of RN before and after guidelines (OR = 2.61, P <.001 and OR = 2.51, P <.001, respectively). In the postguidelines period, women had significantly lower odds of pathologic upstaging (OR = 0.75, P =.024) and harboring high grade pathology (OR = 0.71, P <.001) compared to men. CONCLUSION: Gender differences persist in the management of cT1a RCC, with women having higher odds of undergoing RN, even after release of AUA guidelines and despite having lower odds of pathologic upstaging and high-grade disease.