RESEARCH ARTICLE io

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents 3 % of all solid neoplasms seen in humans [1]. In Europe, the annual in-cidence of RCC is approximately 2 % with increased inci-dence of small, localized tumors. Despite recent stage migration the detection rate of advanced-stage disease has not diminished [2]. Involvement of the renal vein or/ and the inferior vena cava (IVC) has been reported in 4%-10 % [3,4] of patients. When it occurs without evi-dence of lymph node involvement or distant metastasis, surgery offers the only potential cure [5]. Meanwhile, there are several reports of larger series of patients who underwent radical surgery for RCC with inferior vena caval involvement, with reported 5-year survival rates o