To analyze the clinicopathological features of patients with renal cell carcinoma admitted to a single center in a plateau area in the past 5 years.

The clinicopathological data of patients with renal cell carcinoma who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of Urology of the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021 were collected. The general data, tumor size, pathological characteristics, TNM stage, clinical manifestations and stage, and surgical conditions of these patients were analyzed.

Among the 68 patients with renal cell carcinoma included, 43 were male (63.2%) and 25 were female (36.8%), with a male-to-female ratio of 1.72∶1. The age of onset ranged from 22 to 85 years old, with a median age of 56.5 (50.0~61.8) years old, and the high incidence age group was 50~70 years old (72.1%). Among the 68 patients with renal cell carcinoma, 66 were Tibetan (97.0%), 1 was Menba (1.5%), and 1 was Hui (1.5%); there were 20 patients (29.4%) in urban areas and 48 (70.6%) in rural areas, with an urban-rural ratio of about 1∶2.4. Twenty-nine patients (42.6%) were found by physical examination or examination, and 39 (57.4%) were diagnosed after the presence of related clinical symptoms. The main pathological type was renal clear cell carcinoma in 55 cases (80.9 %). Forty-five cases (66.2%) underwent laparoscopic-assisted radical nephrectomy, 14 (20.6%) underwent laparoscopic-assisted partial nephrectomy, 5 (7.4%) underwent open radical nephrectomy, 2 (2.9%) underwent open partial nephrectomy, and 2 (2.9%) underwent laparoscopic conversion to open radical nephrectomy. Nephrectomy was performed via a laparoscopic translumbar approach in 44 cases (64.7%) and via a laparoscopic transabdominal approach in 15 (22.1%).

The patients included in this study are mainly Tibetan, and the main pathological type is clear cell renal carcinoma. The proportion of male patients is higher, the number of cases in rural areas is 2.4 times of that in urban areas, and the high incidence age group is 50~70 years old. Patients with clinical symptoms account for a relatively high proportion, and the main procedure is laparoscopic-assisted radical nephrectomy via a lumbar approach.