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An inherited MET fault: what happens after the result | CION Cancer Clinics
After an inherited MET result, the next steps are a genetic counselling appointment and a first kidney scan. An inherited MET fault raises the chance of small, slow-growing kidney tumours over adult life, so regular scans matter. This page explains how to check which kind of MET result you have, what the next few weeks look like, and what changes for you and your family. At CION Cancer Clinics, our oncologists explain what a gene result means for you and your family, and plan the checks that follow.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- I have been told I carry an inherited MET fault. What now?
- Four things to check on your report
- What usually happens after the result
- The words you will meet, in plain language
- What changes now, and what does not
- Four things people tell us, and what is actually true
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions after a MET result
The short answer
I have been told I carry an inherited MET fault. What now?
The next step is a meeting with a genetic counsellor, then a first kidney scan. An inherited MET fault raises the chance of small tumours forming in the kidneys over adult life. Regular scans mean those tumours can be found and treated while they are small, and the kidneys kept working.
First, check which kind of MET result you have
Most people who hear "MET positive" were told so after tests on a lung cancer tumour. That is a change inside the tumour only. It is not inherited, it is not what this page is about, and it is handled by your oncologist's targeted therapy team. This page is for a MET fault found in a blood or saliva sample, which is present in every cell from birth.
What the inherited fault is linked to
An inherited MET fault causes a rare condition called hereditary papillary renal carcinoma. The tumours it causes tend to be slow-growing, and there are often several of them, sometimes in both kidneys. They usually appear in adult life, rather than in childhood.
A carrier is not a patient. You may have no tumour at all when you are first scanned.Before anything else
Four things to check on your report
These four lines decide whether any of the next steps apply to you. Your counsellor will go through each one.
What sample was tested
Blood or saliva means the fault is germline, present from birth. Tumour tissue alone means it may be a change in the cancer only, which is not passed down.
How the variant is classified
Look for the words pathogenic or likely pathogenic. A variant of uncertain significance is not a positive result and should not change your care.
Uncertain results can be reclassified later. Ask how you will be told.Whether other genes were tested
Several other genes also cause inherited kidney tumours. Knowing which genes were checked tells your team whether anything has been missed.
Who ordered it
The doctor or counsellor who ordered the test is the right person to explain it. Reports bought directly from a laboratory still need a qualified person to read them.
- Bring the full report, not a photo of one page
- Bring any earlier scan reports
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistThe next few weeks
What usually happens after the result
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A counselling appointment
The counsellor confirms the result, draws your family tree and explains what the fault means for you. This conversation can take place in Telugu.
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A first kidney scan
MRI is usually preferred, because it gives a clear picture without radiation and you will need scans for many years. Ultrasound alone can miss small papillary tumours.
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A meeting with a kidney specialist
A urologist experienced in inherited kidney tumours reviews the scan. If small tumours are seen, the usual plan is to watch them rather than operate straight away.
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A family letter
You are given a short letter naming the gene and the exact variant, so your parents, brothers, sisters and adult children can be tested for the same fault.
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A long-term scan plan
You leave with a schedule for repeat scans and simple blood tests of kidney function. The plan is reviewed whenever something changes.
On your report and scans
The words you will meet, in plain language
- Germline
- Present in every cell from birth, and so able to be passed to a child. The opposite is somatic, meaning found only in a tumour.
- Papillary renal cell carcinoma
- A type of kidney cancer named after its finger-like pattern under the microscope. It is the type linked to inherited MET faults.
- Multifocal
- More than one tumour in the same kidney. This is common with inherited MET faults.
- Bilateral
- Affecting both kidneys. Carriers may develop tumours on both sides over the years.
- Nephron-sparing surgery
- An operation that removes only the tumour and keeps the rest of the kidney working. Also called partial nephrectomy.
- Active surveillance
- Watching small tumours with regular scans instead of removing them straight away.
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Side by side
What changes now, and what does not
What changes
What stays the same
Regular kidney scans for life
No treatment is needed unless a tumour grows
Relatives can be offered a test
Most other organs are not affected
Kidney function is checked alongside scans
Work, travel and daily life carry on
Surgery aims to save as much kidney as possible
Ordinary health checks still apply
Commonly believed
Four things people tell us, and what is actually true
"A tumour on the scan means the kidney must come out now."
Small tumours linked to MET often grow slowly. Many specialists watch them and operate only once the largest reaches about three centimetres, removing just the tumours and keeping the kidney.
"Removing both kidneys now would end the worry."
That would mean lifelong dialysis. Because new tumours can keep forming, the whole approach is built around protecting kidney function for as long as possible.
"My lung cancer report said MET, so my children are at risk."
A MET change found only in a lung tumour is not inherited. Your children do not need a test because of it. Ask your oncologist which kind of result you have.
"I feel fine, so I can skip the scans."
These tumours rarely cause pain or blood in the urine while they are small. Scans find them long before symptoms would, which is the whole point of watching.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you when, or whether, you will develop a kidney tumour. Inherited MET faults are rare. Much of what is known comes from a limited number of families studied worldwide, and very few of them in India. The evidence is real but thin in places.
It cannot interpret your variant
What your specific variant means is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test. Different MET changes may behave differently, and classifications are updated as evidence grows. Searching the variant name online is more likely to confuse than help.
Who this does not apply to
Most people with kidney cancer do not carry an inherited MET fault. Most people told "MET positive" after lung cancer tests do not either. If your result came from tumour tissue only, the steps on this page do not apply to you.
Medicines that block MET have been tested in advanced papillary kidney cancer. Studies so far are small, and your oncologist can explain whether any apply to you.Questions we are asked
Common questions after a MET result
Do I need treatment straight away?
Usually not. If your first scan is clear, the plan is simply regular scans. If small tumours are seen, most are watched rather than removed at once. Treatment is planned by a kidney specialist when a tumour reaches a size where removing it makes sense.
Which scan is best for watching the kidneys?
MRI is usually preferred because it gives detailed pictures without radiation, which matters over many years of scans. CT is sometimes used instead. Ultrasound on its own can miss small papillary tumours, so it is not normally relied on.
Does an inherited MET fault cause cancer elsewhere?
The main and best-established risk is to the kidneys. Research on other organs is limited and not consistent. Your counsellor will tell you whether anything beyond kidney scans is advised, based on your own family history.
Is this the same as MET in lung cancer?
No. In lung cancer, MET changes are usually found only inside the tumour. They guide the choice of targeted medicines and are not passed on. An inherited MET fault is present in every cell and mainly affects the kidneys.
Can I still have children?
Yes. Each child has a one in two chance of inheriting the fault. Some couples want to discuss options before a pregnancy. Your counsellor can explain these without pressure, and many carriers simply choose to have their children tested in adult life.
What can I do myself to protect my kidneys?
Keep your scan appointments. Do not smoke, keep blood pressure and blood sugar under control. Do not take painkillers regularly without advice, because some strain the kidneys. None of this removes the inherited risk, but it protects kidney function.
Should my family be told?
Yes, if you can. Parents, brothers, sisters and adult children each have a one in two chance of carrying the same fault. Your family letter lets them be tested simply. A counsellor can help you plan what to say.
Who do I see first?
Start with a genetic counsellor or the doctor who ordered the test. They will arrange a first kidney scan and a referral to a urologist. Call the CION helpline if you are not sure where to begin, and someone will point you to the right clinic.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's oncologists. Bring your family history or genetic report to them.
Our medical oncologists see people with a strong family history of cancer, arrange genetic counselling and testing where it fits, and plan the checks that follow.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
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Sources
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Hereditary papillary renal carcinoma
- MedlinePlus Genetics — MET gene
- National Cancer Institute — Genetics of Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Cancer) (PDQ) - Health Professional Version
- MedlinePlus Genetics — What do the results of genetic tests mean?
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Surveillance for MET carriersThe kidney scan plan, set out plainlyTesting the family for METWho in the family is tested next, and howThe MET gene: what it does and why it mattersWhy a switched-on gene leads to kidney tumoursKidney surveillance protocolsHow kidney scans work across inherited conditions
Talk to us
Holding a MET report and not sure what it means?
Bring your report and we will arrange a counsellor to explain it, and a kidney scan if you need one. You can ask every question in Telugu. One helpline serves every CION centre.