RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Aggressive surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) bone metastasis has shown good results. METHODS: Since January 1995, four patients underwent surgery at our institution for rib metastasis of operated RCCs. Of these patients, three were male and one was female. The patients had a mean age of 67.5 years. Except one patient who presented with rib metastasis at the time of diagnosis of RCC, the average period of metastasis to the ribs after RCC surgery was 24.3 months. All patients underwent resection of metastasized tumors involving the ribs, with or without chest wall involvement. The clinical features of the surgical treatment for RCC bone metastasis were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The mean time to tumor recurrence was 22.3 months postmetastasectomy. All patients developed other bone metastases and underwent multidisciplinary therapy. After metastasectomy, the four patients survived for 19~93 months. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment for patients with rib metastases of RCC may contribute in prolonging survival.