Getting diagnosed with kidney cancer
There is no national screening programme for kidney cancer in the UK.
Many kidney cancers are diagnosed when having a scan for another reason, and before they cause symptoms.
Screening means testing people for early stages of a disease. This is before they have any symptoms. For screening to be useful the tests:
need to be reliable at picking up cancers
overall must do more good than harm to people taking part
must be something that people are willing to do
Screening tests are not perfect and have some risks. The screening programme should also be good value for money for the NHS.
People who are at a higher risk of developing kidney cancer can sometimes have screening. There are some rare inherited syndromes that run in families, such as von Hippel-Lindau disease. You may be offered screening if you have one of these. This means having an ultrasound or MRI scan of your kidneys every year.
Talk to your GP if you think you may be at higher risk of getting kidney cancer. Or if you have symptoms that you are worried about.
Last reviewed: 23 Jan 2024
Next review due: 23 Jan 2027
The kidneys are bean shaped organs near the middle of your back. They filter waste products out of your blood as urine. Kidney cancer develops when abnormal cells in either of the kidneys start to divide and grow in an uncontrolled way.
You usually see your GP first if you notice a change that isn't normal for you. They will ask about your symptoms and may arrange some general tests.
Most people who are diagnosed with kidney cancer do not have any symptoms. When someone does have symptoms, these might include blood in the urine or a lump in the kidney area.
You may have an ultrasound scan, CT urogram or cystoscopy to see whether you could have kidney cancer. See how you have these tests.
Your GP should refer you to a specialist if you have symptoms that could be due to kidney cancer. They follow guidelines and use their experience to decide if you need an urgent referral.
Kidney cancer is cancer that starts in the kidneys. The kidneys filter waste products out of your blood as urine. Kidney cancer develops when abnormal cells in either of the kidneys start to divide and grow in an uncontrolled way.
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