Interventional oncology for renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 3% of all adult cancers with an estimated 12.1 new cases per year for 100,000 of population in the western world. The incidence rate of sporadic RCC has increased in the last two decades, mainly due to the increased use of cross-sectional imaging but also due to obesity and smoking.

Thoracic CT scans that were performed for other purposes may reveal asymptomatic small kidney masses when the upper part of the abdomen is scanned, particularly in males in their sixth decade of life. Advanced stage RCC has a clear management pathway that mainly consists of nephrectomy or palliative treatment. The management of small, early stage, asymptomatic sporadic RCC is a bit more complex given that the behaviour of the lesion cannot be predicted. Masses that measure 2-3cm have metastatic potential and need to be managed accordingly. The general consensus is to assess the growth pattern with active imaging surveillance.

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