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Overview of Kidney Cancer Stages

The stages of a cancer tell the physician how far the cancer has spread throughout the body. In kidney cancer the stages define how much of the kidney is involved and whether the cancer has spread to surrounding areas or to other parts of the body.

  1. The TNM System

    • The TNM system is common to the stage of all cancers; "T" stands for tumor, "N" means (lymph) nodes and "M" means metastases (spread to other parts of the body). The combination of these gives the physician the information to name the stage of the cancer.

    Stage 1

    • The tumor is 7 cm (2 3/4 inches) across or smaller and is located completely within the kidney. There is no spread to surrounding tissues or lymph nodes.

    Stage 2

    • The tumor is larger than 7 cm but it is still located completely within the kidney with no spread to adjacent areas or lymph nodes.

    Stage 3

    • The cancer has spread to one lymph node and may have also spread to the tissues around the kidney or to one of the major veins around the kidney.

    Stage 4

    • The tumor has spread outside of the kidney and involves more than one lymph node; this stage can also mean that the cancer has spread to another part of the body.

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