Accuracy of Contrast-enhanced CT in Diagnosing Small-sized cT3a Renal Cell Carcinoma and Analysis of Factors Predicting Downstaging to pT1

Background/Aim: This study assessed the accuracy of preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) scans in staging small-sized, locally advanced (cT3a) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and identified predictors of pathological downstaging following surgery.
Patients and Methods: Seventy-six patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for cT3aN0M0 RCC with tumors ≤7 cm were analyzed. Preoperative CECT evaluated features such as venous, peritumoral, or renal sinus fat, and urinary tract invasion, predictive values, and concordance index between radiological and pathological findings were calculated for these categories. The study also examined the impact of clinicopathologic factors on downstaging.
Results: Of 76 patients with cT3 RCC, 37% were down-staged to pT1. Down-staged cases had a higher proportion of male patients and non-clear cell carcinoma (86% vs. 58%, 32% vs. 6%; p=0.02, p=0.007, respectively). Multiple cT3a factors were less common in down-staged cases (4% vs. 23%, p=0.04). Non-clear cell carcinoma was significantly associated with downstaging compared to clear cell carcinoma (75% vs. 30%, p=0.006). Multivariate analysis confirmed non-clear cell carcinoma as an independent predictor (odds ratio=8.2, p=0.01). For venous invasion, CECT sensitivity and positive predictive value were high (73.5% and 83.3%, respectively) and the degree of agreement was substantial (κ=0.62).
Conclusion: The accuracy of preoperative CECT was acceptable for detecting venous invasion. The downstaging to pT1 occurred in 37% of cT3a RCC cases in the final pathology, with non-clear cell carcinoma being a significant predictor.