Renal Cell Carcinoma
Management of small renal masses

Jimmy (72 years old)

Jimmy is a 72-year-old retired weather reporter. Since retiring, he consults the state-of-the-art weather station in his backyard to share the daily weather forecast with his friends and family.
About a decade ago, his left kidney was rendered non-functional as a consequence of diabetes. To make matters worse, a small renal mass was recently found in his right kidney.

Assessment summary:

  • Medical history:
    • COPD
    • Insulin-dependent diabetes
    • Non-functional left kidney
  • Blood work:
    • eGFR: 30 ml/min/1.73 m²
    • Hb: 11.1 g/dl (normal range: 13.6-17.7 g/dl)
  • Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT:
    • SRM in right kidney (3.5 cm)
    • Location: central in hilus, endophytic growth, near right renal vein
    • cT1a
  • No metastases
  • Biopsy SRM: indifferent, possibly RCC focus

Which option would you choose for this patient?