The main concern of cancer patients is survival. Many people believe that cancer equals death, but at least for kidney cancer patients, this concept is not true. In fact, early-stage kidney cancer rarely causes death, and most patients do not die from kidney cancer but from other systemic diseases, such as heart disease and cerebrovascular accidents. Even at advanced stages, with the use of targeted drugs and immunotherapy, patients are surviving longer.
The overall survival prognosis for kidney cancer is still relatively good compared to other cancer types (e.g., lung, stomach, liver, etc.). For example, the 5-year survival rate for patients with kidney cancer in the United States is 74.5%, compared with 18.6% for lung cancer. In addition, although the incidence of kidney cancer in the United States is on the rise, the mortality rate is declining.
The earlier kidney cancer patients are treated, the greater the survival benefit. According to statistics, the 5-year survival rate for patients with stage I (tumor confined to the kidney and small) can be as high as 90% to 100%, whereas the more advanced the tumor stage, the lower the 5-year survival rate:
- Stage II (tumor confined to the kidney, but large): 65% to 75%
- Stage III (tumor invades surrounding tissue): 40%-60%
- Stage IV (tumor with distant metastases): 10%-20%
Therefore, kidney cancer must be detected and treated early! The overall survival rate for patients with renal cell carcinoma has improved over the last 30 years, thanks in large part to the widespread use of B ultrasound and CT scanning, resulting in increased diagnosis of incidental kidney cancer and allowing more patients to be detected early and treated early.