Kidney Cancer Surgery, Nephrectomy

Kidney Cancer Surgery Overview

When you find out you have kidney cancer, you will typically need to undergo a variety of imaging and diagnostic tests to stage the cancer and determine the best treatment plan. Often, surgery will be the first line of defense against kidney cancer, especially if it has not yet spread to other organs. In fact, if the cancer is still localized, surgery can remove the cancer entirely.

Ultimately, the goal in kidney cancer surgery will be to cure the cancer, while preserving as much kidney function as possible. This is why we offer surgery to remove just part of a kidney or to remove the entire kidney, depending on what your cancer care team and urologist feel will be most successful in meeting these two goals.

Types of Kidney Cancer Surgery

Radical Nephrectomy

In a radical nephrectomy, your urologist will remove the entire kidney affected by cancer. Sometimes, radical nephrectomy will involve removing nearby tissue, including adrenal glands and lymph nodes, to limit the possibility of the cancer coming back.

Partial Nephrectomy

In a partial nephrectomy, your urologist will remove a smaller portion of tissue from the affected kidney, leaving the rest of the kidney intact. This approach is more conservative, but only possible when the kidney tumors are caught early. In this surgery, the cancerous tumor will be removed, as well as a margin of tissue around it to ensure the cancer is fully removed. This will help preserve your kidney function, leaving you with two working kidneys, rather than just one.

Robotic-kidney cancer surgery

For both radical and partial nephrectomy surgeries, Hattiesburg Clinic’s urologists are some of the only surgeons in the region who can perform robotic kidney surgery. Unlike traditional open surgery, robotic surgery uses smaller incisions and gives the urologist a greater degree of precision. Your surgeon will have a full view of the kidney the entire time through a tiny laparoscope while operating the robot’s small arms to the site of the surgery. This offers a patient several benefits, including:

Less blood loss
Shorter hospital stay and faster recovery after discharge
Less pain after surgery and less scarring
Reduced risks of complications and side effects

Why Choose Hattiesburg Clinic?

Hattiesburg Clinic’s board-certified urologists offer excellent surgical expertise and the latest advancements in urologic technology. As one of the only groups in the region experienced in robotic surgery, we are able to provide a high-quality and less painful experience for patients undergoing kidney cancer surgery and navigating this difficult diagnosis. Our practice also focuses on getting our patients seen and scheduled for surgery as quickly as possible.

Surgery for Kidney Cancer