Renal cell carcinoma is a relatively common malignancy, with 60 to 70 thousand cases
a year in the United States alone. Increased utilization of cross-sectional imaging
has led to an increase in the number of early renal cell cancers seen by the medical
establishment. In addition, certain patient populations have an increased risk of
developing kidney cancers which may mandate aggressive screening protocols. This article
discusses the epidemiology of renal cell cancers; discusses the current management
guidelines from multiple specialty societies; discusses some of the surgical and interventional
techniques used in the treatment of such lesions; and provides a review of the literature
regarding treatments of early-stage renal cell cancers.
Keywords
interventional radiology - renal cell carcinoma - imaging surveillance