STAGING OF KIDNEY CANCER

Once the diagnosis of kidney cancer is made, your chance of recovery (prognosis) and choice of treatment depend on the stage of your cancer (whether it is just in the kidney or has spread to other places in the body) and your general state of health.

The staging system for renal cell cancer is based upon the degree of tumor spread beyond the kidney. This will be determined by the various tests that will give us some idea of the spread of the tumor before most therapy is offered. These tests may include some, although not necessarily all of the following:   

1. CT or MRI scans of abdomen, chest and head   
2. Bone scans   
3. Chest X-ray or chest tomograms (special X-ray type)   
4. Arteriogram or venacavagram (X-rays of arteries and veins to and from the kidney)    
5. Blood tests

When all staging information that is necessary is available, a stage of the cancer will be given.

STAGE EXPLANATION

Stages of renal cell cancer

The following stages are used for renal cell cancer:

Stage I -- Cancer is found only in the kidney and is less than 2.5 inches or 7 cms in diameter.

Stage II -- Cancer is larger than 2.5 inches or 7 cms and has not spread beyond the outer covering or capsule that surrounds the kidney.

Stage III -- Cancer has spread to the main blood vessel that carries blood from the kidney (renal vein), to the blood vessel that carries blood from the lower part of the body to the heart (inferior vena cava), or to lymph nodes around the kidney. (Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body; they produce and store infection-fighting cells.)

Stage IV -- Cancer has spread to nearby organs such as the bowel or pancreas or has spread to other places in the body such as the lungs or brain.

Recurrent -- Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may come back in the original area or in another part of the body.  Recurrent kidney cancer is usually considered Stage IV by default