Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Kidney Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Header Text: 

Kidney cancer is among the 10 most commonly diagnosed cancers in both men and women. Through the use of radiographic imaging and needle biopsies, urologists at Weill Cornell Medicine can evaluate your unique situation to help you choose from the best treatment options. We offer minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgeries, as well as thermal ablation therapies and chemotherapy.

Body: 
  • In 2015, about 61,560 new cases of kidney cancer (38,270 in men and 23,290 in women) were diagnosed, and approximately 14,080 people (9,070 men and 5,010 women) died from it.
  • Kidney cancer is among the 10 most commonly diagnosed cancers in men and women, respectively.
  • The average age of people when they are diagnosed is 64 years. Kidney cancer is very uncommon in people younger than age 45 years.
  • Kidney Cancer Histology: (see chart below)

Body Column 2: 

The 5 year overall survival rate for kidney cancer by stage from the National Cancer Database is below. Overall survival accounts for death due to other causes, such as heart disease.

Kidney cancers are also assigned a Furhman Grade of 1 through 4.

  • Grade 1 cancers have cell nuclei that are similar to normal kidney cell nuclei. These cancers usually grow and spread slowly and tend to have a favorable prognosis.
  • Conversely, grade 4 cancer nuclei appear very different from normal kidney cell nuclei, and have an unfavorable prognosis.

Kidney Cancer - Risks & Causes

Summary: 

The lifetime risk for kidney cancer is approximately 1 in 63 (1.6%), and the risk is approximately 2-3 times higher in men than in women.

Learn More

Kidney Cancer - Symptoms and Evaluation

In the past, kidney cancers were diagnosed only after they had grown significantly in size, leading to symptoms of flank pain, blood in the urine,...

Learn More

Kidney Cancer - Treatment Options

Surgery Under general anesthesia, radical nephrectomy or complete removal of the kidney and fat around the kidney is performed when it is not...

Learn More

Physicians & Faculty

Dr. Joseph Del Pizzo, M.D.

Joseph J. Del Pizzo

M.D.

(646) 962-9600
(646) 962-9600
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, Aetna-NYP-EPO/POS, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, EBCBS Blue Access, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Federal Medicare, NY State Medicaid, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Medicare, United Healthcare Commercial
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery
Dr. Jim C. Hu

Jim C. Hu

M.D., M.P.H.

646.962.6363
646.962.6363
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, Aetna-NYP-EPO/POS, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS Pathway X Enhanced, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Emblem Select Care, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Federal Medicare, Fidelis Care, GHI, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], POMCO, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, UHC Medicare, United Empire Plan, United Health Care [Community Plan], United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery
Dr. David Michael Nanus, M.D.

David M. Nanus

M.D.

646.962.2072
646.962.2072
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Health Plan, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, GHI, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Rockefeller University-CoreSource, United Empire Plan, United Health Care, United Health Care [Community Plan]
Dr. Douglas S. Scherr, M.D. | Weill Cornell Medicine

Douglas Scherr

M.D.

646.962.6363
646.962.6363
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), GHI, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Medicaid, Medicare, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, United Empire Plan, United Healthcare Commercial
Brady Urologic Health Center
Dr. Scott T. Tagawa, M.D., MS

Scott T. Tagawa

M.D.

646.962.2072
646.962.2072
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Emblem Select Care, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Fidelis Care, GHI, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Medicaid, Medicare, Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], POMCO, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, United Empire Plan, United Health Care, United Health Care [Community Plan], United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth

Timothy McClure

M.D.

646.962.6363
646.962.6363
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Essential, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS Pathway X Enhanced, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Fidelis Care, GHI, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Medicaid, Medicare, Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], POMCO, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Community Plan - Essential Plan, UHC Community Plan - Medicaid Plan, UHC Medicare, United Empire Plan, United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery
Multimedia

Multimedia

© 2016 Weill Cornell Medicine All rights reserved.