Impact of margin status on survival after radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Data about the impact of surgical margin positivity on patient outcomes following radical nephrectomy (RN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is limited. We evaluate the effect of positive surgical margins (PSMs) on relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS.) METHODS: Clinicopathologic data of patients who underwent RN for RCC was analyzed based on margin status. χ2 and Student t test were used to compare groups. Cox regression analysis was used for the analysis. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival curves. RESULTS: A total of 485 patients who underwent RN for RCC were analyzed. Most patients with T1/T2 stage had NSM. Most patients with T4 had PSM. T3 patients were split between the two groups. Analysis of the T3 group showed shorter RFS in the PSM group at 3 years (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.3, p = .01), and 5 years (HR: 4.3, p = .01.) OS analysis showed worse OS in PSM but not statistically significant. There was a significant association between PSM and laterality (p = .023) and histologic type (p = .025.) CONCLUSIONS: PSM was associated with shorter RFS after RN in T3 RCC patients. There was a trend towards worse OS in the PSM group, but it did not reach statistical significance. Laterality and histologic type were associated with surgical margin status.

Vertebral osteomyelitis in an immunosuppressed patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

We report a case of spontaneous osteomyelitis of the cervical spine complicated by epidural abscess due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis with no obvious focus of infection or bacteraemia. The patient was on immunosuppressants and complete blood count revealed neutropaenia. He was successfully treated with intravenous antibiotics and surgery.