Treatment
The goal of treatment is to eliminate the cancer.
Surgery to remove all or part of the kidney (nephrectomy) is usually recommended. This may include removing part of the bladder and tissues around it, or the lymph nodes. If the tumor is in the ureter, it may be possible to remove it while preserving the kidney.
When the cancer has spread outside of the kidney or ureter, chemotherapy is often used. Because these tumors are similar to a form of bladder cancer, they are treated with a similar type of chemotherapy.
Support Groups
For additional information and resources, see cancer support groups.
Prognosis (Expectations)
The outcome varies depending on the location of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread. Cancer that is only in the kidney or ureter can be cured with surgery.
Cancer that has spread to other organs is usually not curable. However, there are exceptions.
Complications
- Kidney failure
- Local spread of the tumor with increasing pain
- Spread of the cancer
Calling Your Health Care Provider
Call your health care provider if you have the symptoms listed above.
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Cancer – renal pelvis or ureter : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Cancer – renal pelvis or ureter : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Cancer – renal pelvis or ureter : Treatment
Review Date : 11/30/2009
Reviewed By : David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Herbert Y. Lin, MD, PHD, Nephrologist, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
