Management Of Small Renal Tumors Research Articles

68P Urinary biomarkers for prognosis of histologically confirmed small renal tumors

Adequate clinical management of small renal tumors (SRTs, <4 cm) is important despite their slow growth and low metastatic potential. Surgical resection or nephrectomy remains the main treatment strategy. However, up to 30% of SRTs suspicious for malignancy by preoperative imaging reveal to be benign on final pathological examination after surgery. Moreover, most incidental tumors are detected in the elderly with comorbidities unsuitable for surgical treatment. Up to date, tumor growth rate is the only parameter determining aggressiveness of unresectable SRTs The study aimed at selection of methylated DNA biomarkers for non-invasive urine-based active surveillance of patients, diagnosed with SRTs.

OPEN PARTIAL NEPHRECTOMY FOR SMALL RENAL TUMOURS: TECHNICAL AND ONCOLOGICAL OUTCOMES

Objective: To assess the safety and oncological outcomes of Open Partial Nephrectomy in management of small renal tumours.&#x0D; Study Design: Case series.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Urology, Rawalpindi, from Jan 2015 to Dec 2018.&#x0D; Methodology: We prospectively studied 61 patients with renal tumours either observed on computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) having size ≤7cm and underwent open partial nephrectomy. The collected data included demographics, dimension of tumour, indication for surgery, cold ischemia time, hospital stay, complications and histopathological finding including involvement of margins. Patients were followed up for atleast 2 years.&#x0D; Results: Among 61, 39 patients were male and 22 females. The age of patients ranged from 20-72 years. Mean cold ischaemia time was 24.7 ± 6.37 minutes. Except for 2 patients with Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease, all other patients had solitary renal growth. Nine (14.75%) patients had solitary kidney. The mean of maximum dimension of tumours was 3.84 ± 1.38 cm and mean hospital stay was 3.18 ± 2.19 days. Histopathological results showed 34 tumours to be conventional renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (55.73%) followed by 12 papillary renal cell carcinoma (19.67%). Two (3.27%) patients had positive surgical margin who were operated for &gt;5 cm tumours and later managed expectantly. Twenty one patients had Grade I and II complications while 2 patients were stented post operatively for urine leak. At 2 years follow up there was no recurrence of tumour in any of the patient operated.&#x0D; Conclusion: Open ..........

Surveillance versus ablation for incidentally diagnosed small renal tumours: the SURAB feasibility RCT.

There is uncertainty around the appropriate management of small renal tumours. Treatments include partial nephrectomy, ablation and active surveillance. To explore the feasibility of a randomised trial of ablation versus active surveillance. Two-stage feasibility study: stage 1 - clinician survey and co-design work; and stage 2 - randomised feasibility study with qualitative and economic components. Stage 1 - survey of radiologists and urologists, and development of patient information materials. Stage 2 - patients identified across eight UK centres with small renal tumours (< 4 cm) were randomised (1 : 1 ratio) to ablation or active surveillance in an unblinded manner. Randomisation was carried out by a central computer system. The primary objective was to determine willingness to participate and to randomise a target of 60 patients. The qualitative and economic data were collected separately. The trial was conducted across eight centres, with a site-specific period of recruitment ranging from 3 to 11 months. Of the 154 patients screened, 36 were eligible and were provided with study details. Seven agreed to be randomised and one patient was found ineligible following biopsy results. Six patients (17% of those eligible) were randomised: three patients received ablation and no serious adverse events were recorded. The 3- and 6-month data were collected for four (67%) and three (50%) out of the six patients, respectively. The qualitative substudy identified factors directly impacting on the recruitment of this trial. These included patient and clinician preferences, organisational factors (variation in clinical pathway) and standard treatment not included. The health economic questionnaire was designed and piloted; however, the sample size of recruited patients was insufficient to draw a conclusion on the feasibility of the health economics. The trial did not meet the criteria for progression and the recruitment rate was lower than hypothesised, demonstrating that a full trial is presently not possible. The qualitative study identified factors that led to variation in recruitment across the sites. Implementation of organisational and operational measures can increase recruitment in any future trial. There was insufficient information to conduct a full economic analysis. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN31161700. This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 81. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Cardiovascular outcomes in kidney cancer patients

Introduction: In the surgical management of small renal tumours, current guidelines recommend that partial nephrectomy should be the preferred option wherever possible. This is based on evidence suggesting improved quality of life outcomes, morbidity and mortality and equivalent oncological outcomes when compared with radical nephrectomy. Chronic kidney disease is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and subsequent mortality. This study explored differences in cardiac-related events and co-morbidity, using linked registry data for patients undergoing radical or partial nephrectomy for T1 renal tumours. Methods: Data from the National Cancer Registration Service was searched to identify T1 renal cancer diagnoses between 1999 and 2012. This data was matched against hospital episode statistics to identify those patients who had undergone radical or partial nephrectomy between 1999 and 2013 using OPCS codes. Data was collected on cardiac-related admissions and deaths in nephrectomy patients. Equivalent data was also collected for the general population to allow age-standardized comparison. Charlson score was used as a proxy for pre-operative co-morbidity. Results: Radical/partial nephrectomy patients had a greater risk of cardiac-related admissions compared with the general population (relative risk (RR) 3.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.24–3.40), but with no increase in cardiac-related deaths (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.70–1.01). There was no difference in the admission risk, or death, comparing radical or partial nephrectomy for T1 renal tumours (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.88–1.17) using ‘time to event’ analysis. There was no difference in the comorbidity index between radical nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy patients. Conclusion: The higher incidence of cardiac-related admissions seen for radical/partial nephrectomy patients may be explained by a higher proportion of patients with medical illnesses including cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes) undergoing renal imaging. The absence of a difference between the radical nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy groups supports the phenomenon of surgically-induced chronic kidney disease, which may not have the same morbidity implications as medically-induced chronic kidney disease.

Prevalence and outcomes of peritumor fat involvement following partial nephrectomy for radiologic T1 renal cancer.

Context:Partial nephrectomy is becoming the standard of care in management of small renal tumors and excision of the peritumor fat is recommended for accurate staging. During the surgery, the overlying fat may be excised for accurate visualization of margins or maybe inadvertently left behind when performing a partial nephrectomy in an obese patient. We investigated the prevalence of fat involvement in these patients.Aims:The aim was to document the prevalence of peritumor fat involvement discovered after partial nephrectomy performed for radiologic T1 renal cancer.Settings and Design:Between 2005 and 2011, 107 partial nephrectomy procedures were performed for radiologic T1 disease.Statistical Analysis:All analyses were performed using SAS 9.2.Subjects and Methods:Patients were classified as: Group A (n = 88 patients), patients with stage T1a (tumor size ≤4 cm) and Group B (n = 24 patients) patients with stage T1b (tumor size 4-7 cm).Results:The overall prevalence of peritumor fat involvement was 1.86% (n = 2). The two patients had tumor ≤4 cm in size of the papillary subtype and were followed for 61 and 57 months, respectively. Both were living and without recurrence. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics did not differ between the two groups except, Fuhrman Grades 3 and 4 were statistically more prevalent in Group B (<0.01). Tumor grade, clear cell type cancer and stage T1b did not correlate with peritumor fat involvement in the study population.Conclusions:Our study revealed a low prevalence of peritumor fat involvement in radiologic pT1 renal cancer; however, peritumor fat removal is still recommended.

B87 - Surgical and conservative management of small renal tumors

B87 - Surgical and conservative management of small renal tumors

Contemporary management of small renal tumors.

The incidence of kidney cancer in the United States is rising because the increased use of cross-sectional imaging is resulting in more tumors being detected and because the population is aging. In addition, a stage migration in kidney cancer has been observed—again because of improved detection—with an increase in stage T1 tumors and a concomitant decrease in the number of stage T2 to T4 tumors. Recent studies have shown that up to 80% of small renal tumors (SRTs) either have an indolent course or are histologically benign. These fndings raise the question of what the optimal management of SRTs should be. Radical nephrectomy, the traditional, most aggressive, and still most frequently used extirpative surgery, has been shown to increase the risk of chronic kidney disease. Therefore, during the past 2 decades there has been a shift toward nephron-sparing surgery in carefully selected patients as such procedures have demonstrated equivalent oncologic outcomes with a decrease in long-term renal-induced morbidities. More recently, thermal ablative techniques have evolved as a reliable minimally invasive option for SRTs that can provide adequate oncologic control with minimal morbidity. Finally, in patients with limited life expectancies, active surveillance may be a reasonable approach given the slow median growth rate of SRTs. In evaluating patients with SRTs, percutaneous renal biopsies are being used safely and with increasing accuracy, providing valuable histologic information that can be used to guide the management of SRTs. This article will explore the approaches to managing and treating this growing cohort of patients with SRTs, which are usually incidentally identifed.

Robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy vs laparoscopic cryoablation for the small renal mass: redefining the minimally invasive ‘gold standard’

To identify differences between the ablative and extirpative minimally invasive techniques of laparoscopic cryoablation (LC) and robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RPN), respectively, in treating small renal tumours in terms of safety, peri-operative morbidity and early oncological outcomes. Between June 2008 and April 2012 56 patients underwent LC and from October 2010 to April 2012, 47 patients underwent RPN using the Da Vinci robotic platform (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Data on intra-operative, postoperative and oncological outcomes were collected prospectively, and were analysed and compared for both groups. The median patient ages were 69 and 60 for the LC and RPN groups, respectively (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in disease stage, but there was a significant difference in tumour size, with patients in the RPN group having larger tumours. The mean operating times were 146 and 159 min for the LC and RPN groups, respectively (P = 0.094) and the mean blood loss was 47 and 94 mL for the LC and the RPN groups, respectively (P = 0.251). The median length of hospital stay (1 day) was the same for both groups and the mean warm ischaemia time was 23 min in the RPN group. The marginal change in preoperative and 6-week postoperative renal function was recorded: the mean postoperative increase in serum creatinine was 5.4 mmol/L in the LC group and 9.2 mmol/L in the RPN group. Of the 47 patients in the RPN group, two (4.3%) were converted to laparoscopic radical nephrectomy because of difficulty in controlling bleeding during hilar dissection. Only two patients (3.6%) had recurrence in the LC group, both of whom were treated with re-cryoablation. A total of 5.4% of patients in the LC and 4.3% in the RPN group had Clavien grade I postoperative complications, one patient in the LC group had a Clavien grade II complication, while 1.8 and 4.3% of patients had Clavien IIIb in the LC and RPN groups, respectively. Our data confirm that LC is a successful, minimally invasive and safe treatment option for the management of small renal tumours, but the apparently similar characteristics of RPN suggest that an increasing proportion of patients, whatever their age or medical comorbidities, may be reasonably offered a robot-assisted extirpative procedure with the likely benefit of lower risk of local recurrence and need for retreatment.

Use of Pure Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy in Management of Small Renal Tumors

Use of Pure Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy in Management of Small Renal Tumors

Place du traitement ablatif dans le traitement du cancer du rein de la personne âgée

Approximately, 30% of kidney cancers are diagnosed in patients over 75 years, mostly by fortuitously. This review had identified the indications of ablative treatment among others options for kidney cancer in these elderly patients. A bibliographic research in French and English using Medline(®) with the keywords "tumor"; "kidney"; "radio frequency" and "cryoablation" was performed. The expected benefits were less morbidity, reduced hospital stay and preservation of renal function. Ablative techniques have allowed a satisfactory cancer control but lower than that obtained by surgical excision at the cost of a lower morbidity. Cryoablation has allowed better oncological results than the radiofrequency. A decision tree for management of small renal tumors in patients defining a role for these treatments depending on the patient's life expectancy, its comorbidities (Charlson index) and tumor size was proposed. The preferential indications for cryoablation and radiofrequency treatments in elderly patients are tumors under 3cm and less than 4cm respectively, when life expectancy is between 3 and 7 years.

Active surveillance of small renal masses offers short‐term oncological efficacy equivalent to radical and partial nephrectomy

Study Type - Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Active surveillance of small renal masses has traditionally been reserved for elderly patients deemed unfit for surgery or ablation. There is increasing evidence showing the safety of active surveillance in the management of small renal masses. In this retrospective study we compared outcomes for patients with small renal masses managed with active surveillance, radical nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy. We showed that active surveillance was safe and appeared as effective as immediate surgery in the management of small renal tumours. • To compare the oncological outcomes of active surveillance (AS), radical nephrectomy (RN) and partial nephrectomy (PN) in the management of T1a small renal masses (SRMs). • At present AS is used in the treatment of SRMs in elderly patients with multiple co-morbidities or in those who decline surgery. • We identified all patients with T1a SRMs managed with RN, PN or AS. • Retrospective data were collected from patient case records with survival data and cause of death cross-referenced with the Oxford Cancer Intelligence Unit. • A total of 202 patients with 234 T1a SRMs (solid or Bosniak IV) were identified; 71 patients were managed with AS, 41 with an RN and 90 by PN. • Over a median follow-up of 34 months the mean growth rate on AS was 0.21 cm/year with 53% of SRMs managed with AS showing negative or zero growth. • No statistically significant difference was observed in overall (OS) and cancer-specific (CSS) survival for AS, RN and PN (AS-CSS 98.6%, AS-OS 83%; RN-CSS 92.6%, RN-OS 80.4%; PN-CSS 96.6%, PN-OS 90.0%). • Active surveillance of SRMs offers oncological efficacy equivalent to surgery in the short/intermediate term. • The results of this study support a multicentre prospective randomized controlled trial designed to compare the oncological efficacy of AS and surgery.

The contemporary role of renal mass biopsy in the management of small renal tumors

The selective use of percutaneous biopsy for diagnosis in renal masses is a relatively uncommon approach when compared to the management of other solid neoplasms. With recent advancements in imaging techniques and their widespread use, the incidental discovery of asymptomatic, small renal masses (SRM) is on the rise and a substantial percentage of these SRM are benign. Recent advances in diagnostics have significantly improved accuracy rates of renal mass biopsy (RMB), making it a potentially powerful tool in the management of SRM. In this review, we will discuss the current management of SRM, problems with the traditional view of RMB, improvements in the diagnostic power of RMB, cost-effectiveness of RMB, and risks associated with RMB. RMB may offer important information enabling treating clinicians to better risk-stratify patients and ultimately provide a more personalized treatment approach for SRM.

Comparison of Video-Assisted Minilaparotomy, Open, and Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Masses

PurposeMinimally invasive management of small renal tumors has become more common. We compared the results of partial nephrectomy by video-assisted minilaparotomy surgery (VAMS), open, and laparoscopic techniques.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively compared clinicopathological, oncological, and functional outcomes in 271 patients who underwent partial nephrectomy for renal tumors at one institution from 1993 to 2007; including 138 by VAMS, 102 by open, and 31 by laparoscopic technique.ResultsMean follow-up was 47.7±29.1 months. No statistically significant differences in the three groups were found in tumor size, tumor location, estimated blood loss, complication rate, preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and GFR at last follow-up. Ischemic time was shorter in the open (26.9 min) and VAMS (29.3 min) groups than in the laparoscopic group (31.0 min, p=0.021). Time to normal diet and hospital stay were shorter in the VAMS (1.8 days and 5.4 days) and laparoscopic (1.8 days and 4.7 days) groups than in the open group (2.4 days and 7.3 days, p=0.036 and p<0.001, respectively). Of 180 patients with cancer, positive surgical margins occurred in 2 of 82 patients (2.4%) in the VAMS group, none of 75 patients in the open group, and 3 of 23 patients (13.0%) in the laparoscopic group (p=0.084). In the VAMS, open, and laparoscopic groups, 5-year disease-free survival was 94.8%, 95.8%, and 90.3% (p=0.485), and 5-year cancer-specific survival was 96.3%, 98.6%, and 100%, respectively (p=0.452).ConclusionPartial nephrectomy using VAMS technique provides surgical, oncologic, and functional outcomes similar to open and laparoscopic techniques.

Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Renal Parenchyma: Experimental Study on the Optimal Temperature and the Impact of Vasoactive Drugs

Radiofrequency (RF) is an efficient, inexpensive, safe, and friendly option for the management of small renal tumors. The objective was to evaluate the ideal temperature for renal cell destruction in dogs by RF and to verify whether the injection of vasoactive drugs, such as prostaglandin E1 and adrenaline, can help to improve the results, compared with "dry" RF ablation. The study was divided into three phases: Initially, 16 dogs of comparable weight underwent RF ablation of the renal parenchyma at temperatures of 80°C, 90°C, and 100°C. After that, seven other dogs received adrenaline (vasoconstrictor) and seven received prostaglandin E1 (vasodilator). Finally, the results from 14 animals were compared with those of the 16 (dry RF) dogs at the optimum temperature found. After 14 days, the animals underwent nephrectomy to evaluate the size of the lesions (width and depth), histology examination, and were then sacrificed. There were no clinical or surgical complications in any of the dogs, and none died before the 14th day after the procedure. The optimum temperature was found to be 90°C. Prostaglandin E1 resulted in significantly larger lesions (in depth and width) than adrenaline, with lower impedance. Prostaglandin did not increase the lesions compared with dry RF. All the kidneys presented total coagulation necrosis, with no viable cells in the histologic analysis of the treated tissue. In the ablation of renal cells by RF, prostaglandin produced larger lesions (in depth and width) than the same procedure using adrenaline, and its performance was similar to that of RF without injection of drugs.

Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation of Renal Tumors: 32-Month Mean Follow-up Results of 106 Patients

To report our experience of laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) on patients with renal tumors. RFA has been increasingly applied in the management of small renal tumors. However, it was performed mostly via percutaneous approach, with limited cases and a short follow-up period. From February 2006 to March 2008, laparoscopic RFA was performed on 106 renal tumors (size range: 0.9-5.5 cm) in 106 selected patients (74 men and 32 women, age range: 25-81 years). Initial contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) examination was performed seven days after the procedure, with subsequent CT assessment at three months, six months, and every six months thereafter. Serum creatinine measurement was conducted along with each time CT examination. The mean follow-up period was 32 months (range: 12-48). All 106 tumors were biopsied before RFA, of which 90 were diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (84.90%). There was one incomplete ablation. One case with radiographic local recurrence was then proved by pathologic analysis of the nephrectomy specimen to have no cancer cells. The local tumor control rate was 98.1% (104/106). Of the 90 RCC cases, the disease-free survival rate was 97.8% (88/90); both the cancer-specific and the overall survival rate were 100%. No death or renal failure after the procedure has yet been found. Our results showed that the laparoscopic RFA on small renal mass was safe, with outcomes of patients comparable with those by partial nephrectomy and percutaneous RFA. Further research and a longer follow-up period are needed to confirm our results.

Laparoscopic and Image-guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Renal Tumors: Patient Selection and Outcomes

Multiple modalities exist for the management of small renal tumors, including active surveillance, extirpation (radical nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy), and ablative therapies. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an alternative to extirpative surgery for renal tumors. This article presents the current literature on RFA for renal tumors. We reviewed 28 RFA series in the English literature from 2003 to 2010 to assess patient selection, biopsy, renal outcomes, and oncologic outcomes.

Comparison of Percutaneous and Laparoscopic Renal Cryoablation for Small (&lt;3.0 cm) Renal Masses

We reviewed our experience with laparoscopic cryoablation (LCA) and percutaneous cryoablation (PCA) in the management of small renal tumors and compared clinical outcomes, short-term oncologic results, and patient complications. A retrospective comparison of two prospectively collected oncologic databases was performed. Ninety patients underwent PCA for 99 lesions and 81 patients underwent an LCA for 97 lesions. Patient characteristics, perioperative data, and tumor characteristics were recorded including age, estimated blood loss, complication rate, tumor size, and tumor pathology. Patients in both the PCA and LCA groups had similar demographic and tumor characteristics. The PCA group had two major complications (2%), and the LCA group had three major complications (3.7%) (P = 0.374). In the LCA group, estimated blood loss was associated with tumor location with hilar tumor demonstrating a significantly higher mean blood loss (191 mL) compared with endophytic, mesophytic, and exophytic tumors (70 mL, 71 mL, 73.5 mL), respectively (P = 0.05). Malignancies rated in the PCA and LCA groups were 50.5% and 60.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). In the PCA group, nine (9.1%) patients demonstrated treatment failure with a persistent enhancement in the ablation bed. All nine were treated with a subsequent PCA. One patient had subsequent tumor bed enhancement and underwent an open radical nephrectomy. Treatment failed in three (3.1%) patients in the LCA cohort (incomplete ablation or recurrence). With short-term follow-up, both LCA and PCA are safe and effective treatments for small renal masses. Patients undergoing PCA had a reduced hospital stay and a lower surgical complication rate, albeit with an elevated re-treatment rate. Long-term data is needed to establish long-term oncologic efficacy. Renal function did not significantly change in patients after cryoablation, including patients with a solitary kidney.

Minimally Invasive Treatment of Small Renal Tumors: Trends in Renal Cancer Diagnosis and Management

Renal cell carcinoma is a common malignancy causing significant mortality. In recent years abdominal imaging, often for alternate symptomatology, has led the trend toward the detection and confirmation of smaller renal tumors. This has permitted the greater use of localized and nephron-sparing techniques including partial nephrectomy and image-guided ablation. This article aims to review the current role of image-guided biopsy and ablation in the management of small renal tumors. The natural history of renal cell carcinoma, the role of renal biopsy, the principles and procedural considerations of thermal energy ablation, and the oncological outcomes of these minimally invasive treatments are discussed and illustrated with cases from the authors' institution. Image-guided ablation, in particular, has changed the treatment paradigm and, by virtue of its increasingly evident efficacy and low morbidity, now favors the treatment of smaller tumors in patients previously unfit for surgery.

Commentary on Surgical salvage of renal cell carcinoma recurrence after thermal ablative therapy

Thermal ablative therapies, including cryoablation and radio frequency ablation, have become viable options for the management of small renal tumors. However, initial data have suggested higher local recurrence rates for ablation compared with partial nephrectomy. We evaluated options for salvage of ipsilateral tumor recurrence after previous ablation. Records of renal surgeries performed at our institution between September 1997 and December 2006 were reviewed to identify patients with ipsilateral tumor recurrence after radio frequency ablation or cryoablation, and clinical characteristics and treatment were defined. Recurrence rates at our hospital were 13 of 175 (7.4%) after cryoablation and 26 of 104 (25%) after radio frequency ablation, and 3 additional cases of post-cryoablation recurrence were referred from elsewhere. Overall repeat ablation was performed in 26 patients who experienced postablative recurrence. However, 12 patients (33%) were not candidates for repeat ablation due to large tumor size, disease progression, or repeat ablative failure. In this group, 1 patient received systemic therapy, 1 refused further treatment, and 10 underwent attempted extirpation. Partial nephrectomy was only possible in 2 patients and both required an open approach. The remainder of the patients were treated with radical nephrectomy (7) or had the procedure aborted due to strong patient preference to avoid dialysis (1). Laparoscopic surgery was only possible in 4 cases. Extensive perinephric scarring was encountered in all salvage operations following cryoablation. Primary thermal ablation for small renal masses may preclude or complicate subsequent surgical salvage. Cryoablation in particular can lead to extensive perinephric fibrosis, which can complicate attempts at salvage. Appropriate patient selection for thermal ablation remains of paramount importance.

MP-5.18: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Management of Small Renal Tumors

The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the U.S. has steadily increased over the past two decades due to earlier incidental detection of small renal tumors (≤4cm). Improvements in body imaging now provide practitioners with the ability to identify and treat low-stage kidney masses. Expanding treatments for small renal tumors encourages a cooperative treatment strategy. Recognizing this need, we initiated a formal multidisciplinary small kidney tumor program (SKTP) to review patients referred with small renal tumors.