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Specialized 'Kidney-Sparing' Procedures Show Clear Benefit

The number of kidney cancer cases is increasing by an average of 2-3% per year. This is largely in due in part to "incidental finding" where small tumors discovered by imaging studies performed for unrelated symptoms. The average age at diagnosis is in the early 60's.

Despite recent advances, kidney cancer remains a challenge. "In the past", says Dr. Gonzalez "treatment required large, painful open incisions and, sometimes, removal of the entire kidney." Today, however, minimally invasive approaches have been developed that in most cases allow the preservation of the affected kidney. "This kidney-sparing approach," according to Dr. Gonzalez, "has shown to improve the death rate when compared to removing the entire kidney due to the improvement of long term kidney function".

Dr. Gonzalez explained that the recent use of robotics in kidney surgery allows surgeons to treat more difficult tumors (in location, size, etc.) with both minimally invasive techniques and kidney sparing surgery. While laparoscopic kidney removal is a good minimally invasive tool for treatment of kidney tumors, it does not spare the kidney. Traditional open surgery can easily spare the kidney but at an increased cost to the patients.

While there is a clear benefit for minimally invasive surgery, many physicians are not skilled in the widespread use of robotics. Typically, the physicians who do a high volume of cases have a much better surgical outcome.

Dr. Gonzalez believes that all patients who are diagnosis with small kidney tumors should know their options to help them make decisions that are best for their overall health.