Treatment

Surgery is the treatment of choice for most stages of renal cancer. Nephrectomy could be either simple or radical, with or without lymph node dissection.

Nephroureterectomy is the treatment of choice for ureteral cancers. In selected cases, laser vaporization or coagulation may be useful.

Radical resection of the kidney includes kidney, adrenal gland, perirenal fat, gerota's fascia, with or without regional lymph node dissection.

Key:
X = complete
* = partial
o = optional
• = see note under procedure

Types of Surgery: Kidney, Renal Pelvis, Ureter Kidney Ureter Lymph Nodes Other Organs
Local excision of kidney or ureter * *    
Wedge resection of kidney or ureter * *    
Segmental resection of kidney or ureter * *    
Partial/subtotal nephrectomy *      
Partial ureterectomy   *    
Complete/total/simple nephrectomy (for kidney parenchyma) X      
Nephroureterectomy (for renal pelvis or ureter)
  • includes bladder cuff
 X X   •
Complete/total/simple nephrectomy (for kidney parenchyma) with lymph node dissection X   X  
Nephroureterectomy (for renal pelvis or ureter)
  • includes bladder cuff
 X X X •
Radical nephrectomy
  • includes vena cava, adrenal gland(s) Gerota's fascia , perinephric fat
 X *   •
Radical nephrectomy with lymph node dissection
  • includes vena cava, adrenal gland(s) Gerota's fascia , perinephric fat
 X *   •
Nephrectomy, Not otherwise specified X o o  
Ureterectomy, Not otherwise specified X o o  
Surgery is indicated above plus other organs (such as bladder or colon) X X o X
Surgery of regional/distant sites/nodes only       X

Note: Partial removal of rib(s) should be ignored when determining the appropriate code for surgery.