Urology

Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer is: 

  • the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the US 
  • the eighth most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the US
  • increasing at an annual rate of 2 to 3 percent

The most common form of kidney cancer in adults is renal cell carcinoma. Renal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney cancer that starts in the lining of very small tubes (tubules) in the kidney.

UC San Diego Health System Expertise

Ithaar Derweesh, MD is one of the most experienced kidney cancer surgeons in the United States. Dr. Derweesh and the other urologic cancer specialists at UC San Diego Health System perform laparoscopy, cryoablation, laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy to treat kidney cancer.

Kidney cancer is being diagnosed earlier, when the tumors are smaller and of a lower stage. Our surgeons are changing the way physicians approach this disease in three significant ways.

1. Partial nephrectomy for small renal masses spares the healthy part of the kidney.  Read more about new guidelines favoring partial nephrectomy.

2. Single incision radical nephrectomy causes less postoperative pain, faster recovery and no visible scaring.  Read more about single incision surgery.

3. Medications taken before partial kidney removal shrinks advanced kidney cancer prior to surgery, making it more likely that healthy kidney can be spared.  Read more about medications for kidney cancer.

Importance of Kidney Preservation in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Due to advancements in technology, kidney-preserving treatments have become the gold standard in academic health systems for treating small renal masses. Partial nephrectomy instead of radical nephrectomy for small renal masses offers equivalent cancer cure rates.

Partial nephrectomy is a more difficult surgical procedure, but has significant benefits over radical nephrectomy. Recently, Ithaar Derweesh, MD, was published on this topic in Urology. Dr. Derweesh and his coauthors found that he risk of chronic kidney disease, bone fractures and osteoporosis is reduced when the healthy portion of the kidney is saved. The UC San Diego urology team has one of the highest kidney preservation rates in the country. Read more about this important research finding.

Read more on Research and Clinical Trials for kidney cancer.

Scientific Articles on Kidney Cancer
View recent titles and abstracts of scientific articles on kidney cancer written by UC San Diego Health System’s urologic surgeons.



Visit Moores Cancer Center for more information on kidney cancer treatment at UC San Diego Health System.