Kidney Cancer Treatment and Survival Rate

January 7, 2026

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Walter Stadler, M.D., professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope^® Cancer Center Chicago

Several treatment options are used to fight kidney cancer. Each patient, and the specific features of his or her cancer, is different. Treatment plans are personalized, taking into account the patient’s kidney cancer type and stage, as well as his or her overall health and preferences.

Treatment for Kidney Cancer

While it may seem overwhelming at first, the care team presents patients with all of the recommended treatment options, including potential side effects, allowing them to make an informed decision before beginning treatment.

The most commonly used treatments for kidney cancer are included below. Some may be given on their own, like surgery, while other treatment plans may include a combination of two or more treatment options.

Active Surveillance for Kidney Cancer

Active surveillance, which is also called observation or the watch-and-wait method, is used with tumor types known to be either benign (noncancerous) or cancers that are very small and slow-growing, including Stage 1 cancers smaller than 4 centimeters.

During active surveillance, patients are carefully monitored through regular imaging tests. No active treatment begins unless imaging shows that the tumor is increasing in size.

The watch-and-wait method may help patients avoid unnecessary treatments, which may cause side effects. It is also used with older patients to avoid complications from more intensive treatment, such as surgery.

Kidney Cancer Surgery

Surgery is one of the most common kidney cancer treatments. For cancers contained within the kidney, this may be the only treatment needed, though surgery may be used across all stages of kidney cancer. However, it is less common for Stage 4 cancer types.

During surgery, all or part of the kidneys may be removed. If the cancer has spread locally, the nearby tissue, adrenal gland and/or nearby lymph nodes may also be removed.

Several types of surgeries are used, depending on the cancer’s size and location. Most surgeries for kidney cancer are performed laparoscopically, which is a minimally invasive surgical method.

Nephrectomy

A nephrectomy is the surgical removal of a kidney.

A partial nephrectomy may be used for patients with Stage 1 kidney cancer. During this surgery, only the part of the kidney that contains cancer will be removed. The kidneys are still able to function after the procedure. This is also called nephron-sparing surgery.

A radical nephrectomy removes the entire kidney, the adrenal gland, nearby lymph nodes and fatty tissue around the organ. It may be used on cancers in Stages 1 to 3.

Either surgery type may be performed laparoscopically, and sometimes with robotic assistance. Both are less invasive than open surgery because they involve several small incisions instead of one larger one.

Other Surgeries for Kidney Cancer

Several other surgeries may be used for kidney cancer, including:

• Adrenalectomy, the surgical removal of an adrenal gland
• Regional lymphadenectomy, the surgical removal of lymph nodes to check for cancer cells
• Metastasectomy, the surgical removal of metastases, or kidney cancer tumors that have spread — or metastasized — to other parts of the body

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) may be used with patients who are not able to tolerate surgery.

This procedure destroys cancer cells using a guided probe that delivers high-energy radio waves to the tumor. This creates heat, which destroys the cells. RFA is an outpatient procedure, and a local anesthetic is used to prevent discomfort.

Radiofrequency ablation may be used to eradicate kidney cancer tumors smaller than 3 centimeters in size.

Cryoablation

Also known as cryotherapy, cryoablation uses very cold temperatures to destroy cancer cells. A guided probe administers extremely cold gas to destroy cells. Local anesthetic is used to prevent discomfort.

Cryoablation may be used on kidney cancer tumors smaller than 3 centimeters in size.

Drug Therapy

Drug therapy uses medication to destroy cancer cells. The two commonly used types for kidney cancer are immunotherapy and targeted therapy. These may be used on Stage 3 and Stage 4 kidney cancers.

Immunotherapy uses medication to improve the body’s immune system’s ability to destroy cancer cells. Two major categories of immunotherapy are used for kidney cancer:

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors block checkpoints in immune system cells, which allows the healthy immune system cells to strengthen and be more successful in destroying cancer cells.
• Cytokines are a type of protein that may boost the immune system’s ability to destroy cancer cells. However, this treatment is only appropriate in a small number of patients.

Targeted drug therapies are medications that damage cancer cells while limiting damage to healthy cells nearby. This treatment works by targeting the cancer’s cells genes or tissues, which limits their growth. 

There are two major types of targeted therapy medications:

• Anti-angiogenesis therapy works to stop the growth of new blood vessels that provide fuel for the cancer cells to grow. There are several drug options in this category, including several drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
• HIF2a and mTOR inhibitors work to block these proteins, which fuel cancer growth.

Sometimes, both targeted therapy and immunotherapy are combined into one medication.

Chemotherapy

Traditional cancer therapies, often referred to as chemotherapy, use medication, administered intravenously or orally, to destroy cancer cells. However, chemotherapy is not a commonly used kidney cancer treatment, as it does not usually respond well. It may be used only after immunotherapy and targeted therapy have been given.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy targets kidney cancer tumors with high-energy X-rays. Most often, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), a type of external beam radiation, is used. It uses a machine to deliver radiation beams to the exact location of the tumor.

SBRT may be used in patients with early-stage cancer with localized disease, or to ease symptoms in cancers that have spread to distant areas of the body.

Kidney Cancer Survival Rate

Survival rates vary based on the type and stage of kidney cancer. However, when looking at survival rates, it is important to remember that they are only estimates and based on the experiences of patients in the past.

Kidney cancer relative survival rates are calculated based on the percentage of patients who were still alive at the five-year mark after their initial diagnosis, compared to people without that cancer type. The overall five-year relative survival rate, as estimated by the National Cancer Institute, is 79%.

The more specific five-year relative survival rates based on the location of the cancer are below.

• Localized kidney cancer: 93%
• Regional kidney cancer: 76%
• Distant kidney cancer: 19%

Read more about Stage 4 kidney cancer survival rates

As new medical advances improve treatment options and outcomes, survival rates continue to change over time.