Newly Diagnosed?
We Can Help Getting the correct diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment from the start is crucial 
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Kidney cancer is less common in the United States than are many other cancers, such as those of the breast and colon. Therefore, there are no widely used screening programs for kidney cancer in this country, and regular examinations for this cancer are usually not recommended. However, individuals who are on long-term kidney dialysis and those with von Hippel-Lindau disease or tuberous sclerosis may benefit from periodic evaluation of their kidneys to check for early signs of kidney cancer.
Most kidney tumors are found incidentally -- when patients are being evaluated with radiologic imaging studies for other non-specific abdominal complaints (gallbladder pain, for example), or during follow-up for other previously treated malignancies. These "incidental cancers" are often found early, before any symptoms have occurred. Because such cancers are usually detected before they have spread, patients with incidental kidney tumors are often cured of their disease, commonly by surgery alone.
Moreover, as much as 30 percent of kidney masses represent a benign condition. Often, Memorial Sloan-Kettering doctors may repeat radiologic imaging done at another institution to diagnose a benign mass, avoiding the need for a biopsy or any surgical intervention.
If your doctor suspects you have a kidney tumor, computed tomography (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be recommended. Recently developed imaging techniques -- including 3-D CT, 3-D MRI angiography (imaging of the blood vessels), and CT urography (imaging of part of the urinary tract) -- reveal detailed anatomy, which allow the doctor to plan surgery, often using a single imaging test. Ultrasound may be used when it is necessary to determine whether a kidney mass is a fluid-filled cyst or a solid tumor.
If your doctor suspects that you have cancer of the renal pelvis, or transitional cell carcinoma, he or she may perform one of the following: a cytoscopy, in which a small tube with a lens is inserted into the urethra to allow the bladder and urethra to be seen; a pyelogram, in which an x-ray is taken of your kidneys and ureters; or a ureteroscopy, in which a narrow lighted tube is passed through the urethra, into the bladder, into a ureter, and into the renal pelvis to look for signs of cancer.
Your doctor may remove a small piece of tissue (biopsy) to examine it for cancer cells.
After surgery to remove a renal cortical tumor, pathologists will examine the tumor cells to determine if the tumor is benign or malignant. If cancerous, they will determine which cell type is present. Our doctors can then use this information, along with the size of the tumor and other aspects of the tumor's growth, to more accurately predict the prognosis and determine whether further treatment is necessary.
In addition to these tests, when making treatment decisions your doctor will take your medical history into account, perform a physical examination, and order laboratory studies such as blood and urine tests.
