Precision Surgery, Preserved Function
Kidney Cancer
Most kidney cancers today are found incidentally on imaging done for another reason — and found early, they are highly curable. Our board-certified urologists treat kidney tumors with an emphasis on removing the cancer while preserving healthy kidney, at our offices in The Woodlands, Tomball, and Kingwood.
What is kidney cancer?
Understanding Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer, most commonly renal cell carcinoma, begins in the small tubes that filter blood within the kidney. It has become increasingly common to diagnose it early, because CT and ultrasound scans ordered for unrelated complaints frequently reveal small kidney masses before any symptoms develop — an incidental finding with a genuinely favorable outlook. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, long-term dialysis, family history, and certain inherited syndromes such as von Hippel-Lindau. Not every kidney mass is cancer; some are benign, and imaging characteristics help distinguish them. Because kidney function matters enormously for long-term health, modern treatment aims to remove the tumor while keeping as much of the kidney as possible.
How would I know if I had kidney cancer?
Symptoms of Kidney Cancer
Early kidney cancer usually causes no symptoms at all, which is why so many are found by accident. When symptoms do appear, they may include blood in the urine, persistent pain in the side or lower back that is not from injury, a mass felt in the abdomen or flank, unexplained weight loss, persistent fatigue, low-grade fever without infection, and anemia. High blood pressure that is new or newly difficult to control can also be associated. The classic triad of flank pain, a palpable mass, and blood in the urine is uncommon today and generally indicates advanced disease, which is another reason incidental early detection is so valuable.
How is kidney cancer diagnosed?
How We Diagnose Kidney Cancer
Diagnosis relies primarily on imaging. CT with contrast is the standard study, showing the tumor's size, location within the kidney, involvement of surrounding structures, and whether the other kidney is normal — details that determine whether partial removal is feasible. MRI is used when contrast cannot be given or when further characterization is needed, and ultrasound can distinguish simple cysts from solid masses. Blood work assesses kidney function and overall health, and urinalysis checks for blood. Unlike most cancers, kidney cancer is often diagnosed and treated without a preoperative biopsy, because imaging is reliable and biopsy carries its own limitations; biopsy is used selectively when the imaging picture is ambiguous or when it would change the plan.
Why Choose Texas Regional Urology for Kidney Cancer Care?
Why Patients Choose TRU
Here is what we can do
Kidney Cancer Treatment Options at Texas Regional Urology
Surgery is the primary treatment for localized kidney cancer and is frequently curative. The central question is how much kidney needs to come out — for most small tumors, removing the tumor alone while preserving the rest of the kidney gives equivalent cancer control with better long-term kidney function. For very small masses in older patients or those with significant other health problems, careful monitoring is sometimes the wiser choice. Advanced disease is managed with a combination of surgery and systemic therapy coordinated with medical oncology.
da Vinci Robotic Partial Nephrectomy
The tumor is removed while the healthy portion of the kidney is preserved, performed robotically through several small incisions. Preserving kidney function matters for cardiovascular health and longevity, making this the preferred approach whenever the tumor's size and position allow.
Radical Nephrectomy
When a tumor is large, centrally located, or otherwise unsuitable for partial removal, the entire kidney is removed. Most people function well with one kidney, and this is often performed minimally invasively.
Active Surveillance
Small masses, particularly in older patients or those with competing health risks, may be monitored with periodic imaging rather than removed immediately. Many grow slowly enough that intervention is never needed.
Systemic Therapy for Advanced Disease
Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have substantially improved outcomes for advanced kidney cancer. We coordinate with medical oncology at our affiliated hospital systems for patients who need it.
Answers to your Kidney Cancer Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily; some masses are benign.
Simple cysts are common and harmless, and some solid masses turn out to be benign tumors. Imaging characteristics guide the assessment, and your urologist will explain what your specific findings suggest.
Yes — most people function normally.
A single healthy kidney typically compensates well, and people live full lives after having one removed. Preserving kidney tissue is still preferred when possible, particularly for younger patients.
Imaging is reliable, and biopsy has limits.
CT and MRI characterize kidney masses accurately enough that biopsy often would not change the plan, and a negative result cannot fully exclude cancer. Biopsy is used selectively when it would genuinely alter management.
Not traditionally — newer therapies work better.
Conventional chemotherapy has limited effect on renal cell carcinoma, which is why surgery is the mainstay for localized disease. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have significantly improved options for advanced cases.
Typically a short stay and weeks.
Most patients spend one to two nights in the hospital and return to light activity within a couple of weeks. Strenuous activity and heavy lifting are restricted for several weeks, and your surgeon will give you specific timelines.
Found a kidney mass on imaging?
