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Types of Kidney Cancer

There are a few types of kidney cancer:

Renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is by far the most common type of kidney cancer. About 9 out of 10 kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas.

Although RCC usually grows as a single mass (tumor) within a kidney, sometimes there are 2 or more tumors in one kidney or even tumors in both kidneys at the same time. Some of these cancers are noticed only after they have become quite large, but most are found before they metastasize (spread) to distant organs in the body.

Transitional cell carcinoma

Of every 100 cancers in the kidney, about 5 to 10 are transitional cell carcinomas, also known asÌýurothelial carcinomas. Transitional cell carcinomas don't start in the kidney itself, but instead begin in the renal pelvis (where the urine goes before it enters the ureter). About 9 out of 10 transitional cell carcinomas of the kidney are curable if they are found at an early stage.

Wilm's tumor

Nephroblastomas, more commonly calledÌýWilms tumors, almost always occur in children. This type of cancer is very rare among adults.

Renal sarcoma

Renal sarcomas are a rare type of kidney cancer (less than 1% of all kidney tumors) that begin in the blood vessels or connective tissue of the kidney.