Aim: To assess the general applicability of TNM-C scoring, which consists of TNM classification and preoperative C-reactive protein concentration, the predictive ability of the TNM-C score was externally validated for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at three community hospitals.
Patients and methods: Seven hundred patients underwent radical or partial nephrectomy after being diagnosed with RCC. Out of the 700 patients, 518 with clear cell carcinoma served as the current study cohort. The predictive ability of the TMN-C score for cancer-specific survival (CSS) was estimated using Harrell's concordance index (c-index).
Results: The c-index of the TNM-C score was 0.85 in the entire data set. CSS rates were clearly stratified according to the scoring model (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Since TNM-C score alone (without pathological details) has a high predictive ability for the prognosis of ccRCC patients, it is generally applicable for use in community hospitals.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; Renal cell carcinoma; TNM classification; nephrectomy; prognosis.