Kidney Cancer Surgery & Surgical Oncology Procedures
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Surgery for Kidney Cancer
Surgery is the first-line treatment for most renal cell carcinoma patients at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Depending on the type and stage of the disease, we may perform a variety of procedures. We may also remove nearby fatty tissue to test for the presence of cancer.
Surgical Procedures
Radical Nephrectomy
During a radical nephrectomy, your surgical oncologist removes the entire affected kidney. Often, the adrenal gland is also removed if it is involved with, or very close to, the tumor. During this type of cancer surgery, your oncologist may make incisions in the abdomen, under the ribs, or in the back to remove the entire kidney.
Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy (LRN)
For most patients, our surgical oncology experts perform an LRN instead of a radical nephrectomy because it requires less recovery time and causes less bleeding. An LRN is performed by making a few small incisions, instead of one large incision. One of the incisions will be slightly larger than the others to allow the kidney to pass through. Once the incisions are made, your surgical oncologist uses a laparoscope (long tube with small camera attached to the end) to help guide removal of the kidney.
Partial Nephrectomy
We perform this type of kidney cancer surgery when it is important to preserve kidney function. This
includes people who have cancer in both kidneys, low kidney function, or people with one kidney. During this procedure, your surgical oncologist removes only the part of the kidney that
contains cancer. Your surgical oncologist may recommend this surgery even if these issues don’t pertain to you, to maintain as much kidney function as possible.
If kidney
cancer has metastasized, your treatment team may combine surgery with targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Your team of doctors will assess every aspect of your disease and choose
the best course of treatment accordingly, knowing that each individual is different and has unique needs.
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