Outlook

The outlook for a person with renal cell cancer depends on the stage, the type of treatment received, the complications of the disease, and the person's overall condition. In general, the lower the stage at the time of treatment, the better the prognosis. Tumors confined to the kidney have the best chance of cure. About 25-30% of people have metastatic disease at diagnosis.

In people whose disease is limited to the kidney area, 20-30% develop metastatic disease after nephrectomy. Those who have a long disease-free interval between nephrectomy and the appearance of metastases usually do best. Those with a solitary metastasis to a lung usually have the best outlook, since such metastases can often be treated by surgery. Patients with more extensive metastatic disease may benefit from biological therapy and should see an oncologist who specializes in these treatments.