A doctor may remove the cancer using one of three options. Partial nephrectomy removes the cancer and part of the kidney surrounding the growth. This is usually done when the patient's other kidney is damaged or has been removed. Simple nephrectomy removes the whole kidney. The remaining kidney filters the blood. Radical nephrectomy removes the kidney, surrounding tissues and possibly nearby lymph nodes.
If the cancer has spread to the vena cava or renal veins, doctors may remove the affected portions of the vessels. Sometimes kidney cancer can extend up the vena cava into the heart, requiring a more complex operation and possibly blood transfusions. If the cancer has metastasized at the time of diagnosis, nephrectomy is combined with additional medical treatment.
