VALUE OF MORPHOMETRY AS AN INDEPENDENT PROGNOSTIC FACTOR IN RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Nuclear morphometry was performed in 159 adenocarcinomas of the kidney . The mean and SD of the following nuclear parameters were calculated: area, perimeter, major axis, minor axis and a shape factor. Median su rvival, including all stages, was 72 months and cumulative survival at 5, 10 and 15 years of 50, 42 and 33%, respectively. Values of morphom etric parameters, except for shape factor, tend to increase in proport ion to stage. Nuclear area was the best parameter to predict the varia bility in survival time. The Cox regression model was performed for ea ch stage, and the relationship with length. of survival time was studi ed. For stage T-1-2 N-0 M(0), nuclear area was the only variable chose n as an independent significant predictor of outcome. For the rest of the stages, no variables were selected as predictors at any significan t level.