Surgical resection for adrenocortical carcinoma: Current trends affecting survival

J Surg Oncol. 2022 Jun;125(8):1224-1230. doi: 10.1002/jso.26845. Epub 2022 Mar 14.

Abstract

Introduction: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is associated with a poor prognosis. We reviewed the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to analyze the prognostic factors in surgically resected ACC patients and the association of surgical approaches with overall survival (OS).

Methods: A retrospective NCDB (2004-2014) review of patients undergoing curative-intent surgical resection for ACC was performed. Effects of patient demographics, tumor characteristics, histopathology, and perioperative course on OS were analyzed. Log-rank statistics were used to associate clinical variables with OS. The multivariable Cox proportional hazard model included only statistically significant variables.

Results: A total of 1599 patients with ACC were included. A majority of patients were female (60.73%) and presented with a Charlson-Deyo score of zero (75.42%). A majority of the ACC cases were Grade 3 (45.69%), and almost a third (30.64%) underwent margin-positive resections. Univariate analysis demonstrated a decrease in OS associated with increasing age and comorbidities. A negative resection margin and lack of lymphovascular invasion predicted better OS. Multivariable analysis showed that age, grade, surgical resection margins, and hospital length of stay were associated with OS.

Conclusions: Advanced age, grade, presence of lymphovascular invasion, and positive surgical margins predicted a worse overall survival for adrenocortical cancer in our analysis. Resection with negative margins improves outcomes.

Keywords: NCDB; retrospective; systemic therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms*
  • Adrenocortical Carcinoma*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Margins of Excision
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate