What Are the Different Types of Kidney Cancer?

About 90% of kidney cancers are renal cell carcinoma, also called renal cell adenocarcinoma. Renal cell carcinoma can be further divided into the following types.

Clear cell

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma makes up about 70–80% of renal cell carcinomas. The cells tend to look clear or pale when examined under a microscope. The 5-year survival rate is about 70%.

Papillary

Papillary renal cell carcinoma makes up about 5–10% of cases of renal cell carcinoma. The cancer cells create finger-like projections called papillae. It has a 5-year survival rate of around 90%.

Chromophobe

Chromophobe renal carcinoma makes up about 5% of renal cell carcinomas. Cells look pale but are larger than clear cell cancer cells. Only 7% of chromophobe cancers will metastasize, leading to a better prognosis.

Sarcomatoid renal cell cancer

Sarcomatoid renal cancer makes up about 5% of renal cell carcinomas. It tends to grow quickly and is more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage than other types of renal cell carcinoma.

Clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma accounts for about 1–4% of kidney cancers. It has a mix of features of clear cell and papillary cancers. The 2-year survival rate has been reported above 90%.

Collecting duct

Collecting duct renal cell carcinoma is a rare subtype that arises from the tubes that carry urine from nephrons to your renal pelvis. It tends to be aggressive and makes up less than 1% of kidney tumors. About half of people live fewer than 12 months.

Medullary

Medullary renal cell carcinoma, also called SMARCB1-deficient renal medullary carcinoma, most often develops in people of African descent with sickle cell disease or other sickle cell blood conditions.

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC)

MTSCC is a low-grade cancer that’s thought to make up less than 0.8% of kidney cancers. Under a microscope, cancer cells look like tubes merging with spindle-shaped projections.

Acquired cystic disease-associated renal cell carcinoma (ACDARC)

ACDARC develops exclusively in people with end-stage kidney disease who develop alongside acquired cystic kidney disease. This condition causes kidney cysts that can lead to cancerous changes. It’s highly associated with long-term dialysis.

Multilocular cystic

Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma makes up about 3.1–6% of renal cell carcinomas. It tends to have an excellent outlook.

Around 10% of kidney cancers are not renal carcinoma and often fall into one of the following categories.

Wilms tumor

Wilms tumor, or nephroblastoma, is the most common childhood abdominal cancer. It develops in about 1 in 10,000 children.

Wilms tumors can have favorable or unfavorable features. Favorable cancers have a survival rate as high as 99%, and unfavorable cancers have a survival rate as low as 38%.

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma was previously called transitional cell cancer of the kidney or ureter. It starts in transitional cells that line the renal pelvis and ureter. The renal pelvis collects urine and the ureter carries it to your bladder.

It makes up about 5–7% of kidney tumors.

Sarcoma of the kidney (renal sarcoma)

Sarcoma of the kidney is a rare cancer that starts in your kidney’s connective tissue. Cancers that develop in your kidney’s connective tissue make up less than 1% of kidney cancers.

Kidney metastasis

Kidney metastasis is cancer that has spread to your kidneys from another part of your body. Types of cancer that commonly spreads to the kidneys include:

• lung cancer
• breast cancer
• stomach cancer
• colon cancer

Benign kidney tumors can cause problems if they press on healthy tissue inside your body. They can include:

• Papillary renal adenoma: Papillary renal adenoma is the most common benign kidney tumor. It tends to grow slowly.
• Angiomyolipoma: Angiomyolipoma is the most common type of benign kidney tumor. It often doesn’t need treatment if it isn’t causing problems.
• Oncocytoma: Oncocytomas can grow large and are often curable with surgery. They make up about 3–7% of kidney tumors.
• Juxtaglomerular cell tumors: These tumors secrete the hormone renin, which helps regulate blood pressure. Only about 150 cases were reported from 1967–2020.

Here are some frequently asked questions people have about kidney cancer.

What is the most aggressive type of kidney cancer?

Collecting duct renal cell carcinoma tends to be one of the most aggressive types of kidney cancer.

Where is the first place kidney cancer spreads to?

The most common places kidney cancer spreads to are your:

• lungs
• lymph nodes
• bone
• liver
• adrenal glands

What is life expectancy with kidney cancer?

The 5-year relative survival rate for kidney cancer in the United States from 2013–2019 was 77.6%. This means that people with kidney cancer lived at least 5 years almost 80% as often as people without cancer.

Which renal cell carcinoma has the worst prognosis?

Sarcomatoid renal cancer tends to spread quickly and is generally diagnosed at a late stage.

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer. It’s broken into subcategories depending on the specific features of the cancer.

A small number of kidney cancers are not renal cell carcinoma. Knowing which type of cancer you have helps your doctors figure out how to best treat it and what to expect.