Use of Partial Nephrectomy in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

The authors discusses the use of partial nephrectomy in the health care system of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Guidelines issued by the American Urological Association describe nephron sparing surgery (NSS) as the preferred treatment modality for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). An overview of the Veteran's Affairs Central Cancer Registry (VACCR) data repository is provided. The authors conclude that current partial nephrectomy rates in the VA health care system are comparable to those in the SEER-Medicare tumor registry studies.