Stages of Renal Cell Carcinoma
There are four stages of renal cell carcinoma that denote the tumor size and how far the cancer has spread throughout the body. The stages are:
- Renal Carcinoma Stage I – The tumor is seven centimeters or smaller and can be found in the kidney only.
- Renal Carcinoma Stage II – The tumor is larger than seven centimeters. It still localized to the kidney.
- Renal Carcinoma Stage III – The tumor is larger than seven centimeters. It can be found in three areas: one kidney and one nearby lymph node; adrenal glands or layer of fatty tissue around kidney, possibly in a nearby lymph node as well; or main blood vessels of kidney and possibly a lymph node.
- Renal Carcinoma Stage IV – The tumor is larger than seven centimeters and has further spread to other tissues and organs. The tumor can be found in three areas: beyond fatty tissue of kidney and nearby lymph nodes; two or more lymph nodes; or lymph nodes and other organs, such as bowels, pancreas and lungs.
The survival rate decreases significantly as the renal cancer tumor makes its way up the stages. The five year survival rate for a tumor that is smaller than four centimeters is 90-95 percent. The rate remains at an optimistic 80-85 percent for a larger tumor that has not yet spread outside of the kidneys. Once the cancer has infiltrated cells outside the renal capsule the survival rate drops to 60 percent. When the renal carcinoma tumor reaches the lymph nodes the rate of survival is generally set at 5-15 percent. If other organs have been attacked by the cancerous renal carcinoma the survival rate is a dismal five percent or less. The prognosis is exceptionally poor for a patient that has experienced a recurrence of renal cell carcinoma after an initial surgery or treatment plan.