Goal of Surgery for Kidney Cancer

Surgery is the most common treatment for kidney cancer. It is the standard of care for kidney cancer that has not spread to other areas of the body. Its goal is to take out the tumor or tumors, while keeping as much of the kidney as possible. Depending on the size of your tumor and where it is, your surgeon may take out all or part of your kidney. In some cases your surgeon may also take out nearby lymph nodes. That’s because cancer may travel to the nodes first. Taking out the lymph nodes may help prevent the spread of cancer to other parts of your body.

Surgery may also help people whose cancer has spread. If your cancer has spread, your doctor may suggest surgery to remove tumors far from your kidney. Surgery in these cases will not cure the cancer. Here are some instances when surgery may be recommended.

• To take out a single metastatic lesion in your lungs

• To ease symptoms

• To prevent life-threatening problems