• Patients & Visitors ›
• Urology
• Specialties ›
• Urologic Cancer ›

Kidney Cancer

Wake Forest Baptist urologists are experts in the newest surgical option for localized kidney cancer – using robotic technology to remove the tumor and spare the kidney.

In the past it was common to remove the entire kidney and the adrenal gland in cases of localized kidney cancer. But today, Wake Forest Baptist urologists work to preserve the part of the kidney unaffected by cancer. This is because kidney function is closely linked to overall health and life expectancy.

Most cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed in people over age 50 and involve tumors originating in the lining of small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products. There are often no symptoms, but when symptoms do occur, they can include blood in the urine, back or flank pain, weight loss and anemia. Because of the increasing frequency of diagnostic procedures today, many cases of kidney cancer are discovered when doctors are looking for something else, such as gallbladder problems. That means most cases of kidney cancer are found early, before the cancer has spread.

Early detection also allows surgeons to remove the tumor and spare healthy kidney tissue, which sharply decreases the risks for long-term kidney failure or impairment and improves overall survival. It has also been shown to decrease the risks of heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, diabetes and the need for dialysis or transplant.

Learn more about kidney cancer from the American Urological Association.
Learn more about robot-assisted surgery and watch a live surgery.