Our results suggest that not all patients with MRCC require preoperative embolization, because usage of modern hemostatic agents can be an alternative bleeding control method.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an aggressive malignant disease that frequently metastasizes to the spine. The main purpose of our study is to evaluate the influence of surgery as well as targeted therapy on the survival of patients with RCC metastases of the spine.Methods: Retrospective cohort study. We identified 100 patients with spinal RCC metastases who were retrospectively reviewed for preoperative conditions, treatment, and survival. Metastasectomy was performed in 39 cases, and 61 patients underwent decompression procedures with stabilization. Only 26 patients had adjuvant targeted therapy (7 with metastasectomy, 19 with palliative decompression). Pain, neurological status, survival time (from operation to death or last follow up), and local progression-free survival were evaluated.Results: Neurological function recovery and reported significant pain relief were observed. There was no significant difference in overall survival for the patients with metastasectomy and palliative decompression (P ¼ .750). Metastasectomy provided better local control of disease compared with decompression (P ¼ .043). There was a statistically significant difference in overall survival for the patients who received targeted therapy (P ¼ .012).Conclusions: Metastasectomy is effective for local control of tumors. Targeted therapy can potentially prolong overall survival for patients with spinal RCC metastases.Level of Evidence: 3. Clinical Relevance: Our findings suggest that spinal metastasectomy is useful for local control of tumor growth but not for live expectancy. Effective systemic therapy is key role in stopping of disease progression.

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Objective: This report compares various methods of bleeding control, and their influence on outcome and survival after decompression procedures for spinal metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (MRCC). Methods: A retrospective study. All patients underwent palliative decompression procedures. We compared 3 groups of patients stratified by methods of bleeding control. The first group (EMB) included 22 patients who underwent preoperative embolization of a tumor. The second group (HEM) consisted of 20 patients, treated surgically using intraoperative local hemostatic agents. In the third group (COMBI) 15 patients were treated with a combination of methods. Results: The average intraoperative blood loss for the EMB group was slightly less than the average for the HEM and COMBI groups, but without significant differences. The postoperative drainage loss in the HEM and COMBI groups was significantly less than in EMB group. The complication rate (infections, hematomas, neurological deficit) was practically equal in all groups. No statistically significant differences in local tumor recurrence and overall survival were found between groups. Conclusions: The overall results did not show that usage of different bleeding control methods can affect early or long-term outcomes. Level of Evidence III; retrospective study.