Purpose: To evaluate differences in the serum concentrations of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) after retroperitoneal laparoscopic and conventional open radical nephrectomies for localized renal-cell carcinoma (RCC).
Patients and methods: A total of 62 patients with stage T(1)N(0)M(0) RCC were randomized to either a retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy group (n=31) or an open group (n=31). Serum levels of soluble cluster of differentiation 44 splice variant 6 (sCD44v6), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and soluble epithelial cadherin (sE-cadherin) were determined independently by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) preoperatively, and on postoperative days 1 and 5. In addition, follow-up results were compared.
Results: On postoperative day 1, sCD44v6, sICAM-1, and sVCAM-1 levels increased significantly compared with preoperative levels in both groups (P<0.05). sE-cadherin levels decreased compared with preoperative levels in both groups without statistically significant differences (P>0.05). sCD44v6 levels in the retro-laparoscopy group were significantly higher than in the open group (P<0.05), while sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-cadherin levels showed no statistically significant differences between both groups (P>0.05). On postoperative day 5, all parameters in both groups were similar to preoperative values (P>0.05). Follow-up ranged from 7 to 18 months postoperatively in all 62 patients, with a 100% cancer-specific survival rate in each group.
Conclusion: Although postoperatively higher serum concentrations of CAMs in both groups and significantly elevated sCD44v6 in the retro-laparoscopy group may be facilitated, the differences in CAMs between both groups are small and transient. Together with the similar follow-up results, this further supports previous studies that failed to show a difference in the oncologic outcomes between open and laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and provides a probable molecular mechanism.