Five-Year Survival Rates

(from the National Cancer Institute's Physician Data Query system, July, 2002)

Prognosis and survival correlate with cell type: clear cell tumors have the best prognosis.

Prognosis is directly related to stage at diagnosis.

Subsequent bladder cancer after treatment for renal pelvis or ureteral cancer occurs in 30-50% of cases.

Kidney Cancer
Stage Survival Rate
Stage I 70% (AUS Stage I)
Stage II 70% (AUS Stage I)
Stage III (T3a N0) 55% (AUS Stage II)
Stage III (T3b N0) 30% (AUS Stage III)
Stage IV 5% (AUS Stage IV)
Renal Pelvis & Ureter Cancer
Stage Survival Rate
Localized, low grade, no invasion beyond lamina propria 100%
Localized, grade I-III, without subepithelial invasion 80%
Localized, high grade with infiltration of pelvic wall 20-30%
Regional, extension beyond renal pelvis 5%

Survival rates for carcinoma of the ureter are about 10-20% lower than for comparable stages of tumors in the renal pelvis.