Stages of Renal Cell Cancer

Cancer stage describes the extent of cancer in the body, such as the size of the tumor, whether it has spread, and how far it has spread from where it first formed.

There are several staging systems for cancer that describe the extent of the cancer. Renal cell cancer staging usually uses the TNM staging system. The cancer may be described by this staging system in your pathology report. Based on the TNM results, a stage (I, II, III, or IV, also written as 1, 2, 3, or 4) is assigned to your cancer. When talking to you about your diagnosis, your doctor may describe the cancer as one of these stages.

Learn about tests to stage renal cell cancer. Learn more about Cancer Staging.

The following stages are used for renal cell cancer:

Stage I (also called stage 1) renal cell cancer

In stage I, the tumor is 7 centimeters or smaller and is found in the kidney only.

Stage II (also called stage 2) renal cell cancer

In stage II, the tumor is larger than 7 centimeters and is found in the kidney only.

Stage III (also called stage 3) renal cell cancer

In stage III, one of the following is found:

• the cancer in the kidney is any size, and cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes; or
• cancer has spread to blood vessels in or near the kidney (renal vein or vena cava), to the fat around the structures in the kidney that collect urine, or to the layer of fatty tissue around the kidney and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.

Stage IV (also called stage 4) renal cell cancer

In stage IV, one of the following is found:

• cancer has spread beyond the layer of fatty tissue around the kidney and may have spread into the adrenal gland above the kidney with cancer or to nearby lymph nodes; or
• cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, brain, adrenal glands, or distant lymph nodes.

Stage IV renal cell cancer is also called metastatic renal cell cancer. Metastatic cancer happens when cancer cells travel through the lymphatic system or blood and form tumors in other parts of the body. The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if renal cell cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually renal cell cancer. The disease is called metastatic renal cell cancer, not liver cancer. Learn more in Metastatic Cancer: When Cancer Spreads.

Renal cell cancer can recur (come back) many years after initial treatment.

Recurrent renal cell cancer is cancer that has come back after it has been treated. If renal cell cancer comes back, it may come back in the kidney or in other parts of the body. Tests will be done to help determine where the cancer has returned. The type of treatment for recurrent renal cell cancer will depend on where it has come back.

Learn more in Recurrent Cancer: When Cancer Comes Back. Information to help you cope and talk with your health care team can be found in the booklet When Cancer Returns.