Screening for Kidney Cancer

by Debra Wood, RN

The purpose of screening is early diagnosis and treatment. Screening tests are administered to people who may be at high risk for certain diseases or conditions but do not have any symptoms.

Screening Guidelines

There are no standard tests or current guidelines for kidney cancer screening. However, if you have any risk factors for kidney cancer, your doctor will want to discuss them with you to help reduce your risk. Those with higher than average risk of kidney cancer include people with Von Hippel-Lindau disease or those receiving dialysis for other kidney diseases.

Imaging tests are used to evaluate the kidneys and nearby structures for tumors. These tests may include:

Talk to your doctor about your kidney cancer risk and any tests you may need.

References:

General information about renal cancer. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/kidney/patient/kidney-treatment-pdq. Updated November 8, 2019. Accessed February 28, 2020.

Kidney cancer. National Kidney Foundation website. Available at: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/what-kidney-cancer. Accessed February 28, 2020.

Kidney cancer (adult)—renal cell carcinoma. American Cancer Society website. Available at:
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Accessed February 28, 2020.

Renal cell carcinoma. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.... Updated October 10, 2018. Accessed February 28, 2020.

Last reviewed December 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP
Last Updated: 2/28/2020

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