HealthWise KnowledgeBase
Nephrectomy
How Well It Works
For kidney cancer
Surgery works well for kidney cancer, especially when the cancer is found early.Reference 1
After kidney cancer has spread, the outlook is not as good, even with surgery.
The 5-year survival rate shows the average number of people still alive at least 5 years after surgery. It’s important to remember that everyone’s case is different. These numbers may not show what will happen in your case.
| For cancer that hasn't spread to the lymph nodes | For cancer that has only spread to the lymph nodes | For cancer that has spread to other organs |
|---|---|---|
| 70 to 80 out of 100 patients are still alive 5 years after surgery. | 15 to 25 out of 100 patients are still alive 5 years after surgery. | 0 to 5 out of 100 patients are still alive 5 years after surgery. |
Although surgery for patients whose cancer has spread to other organs may not help them live longer, it may improve symptoms.
For other kidney problems
When one kidney is removed, the other one expands to remove waste and fluids from the body. Most people do fine with only one kidney.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 19, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Christopher G. Wood, MD, FACS - Urology, Oncology |
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