CION Ameerpet
Kidney cancer · Types & subtypes
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) — the main kidney cancer
If a report has come back saying renal cell carcinoma, this page is the plain-language version of what that phrase means. RCC is the cancer that starts inside the kidney’s own filtering tissue. It is the commonest form of kidney cancer in adults — and it is not one disease, but a family of subtypes that behave differently and are treated differently.
- RCC starts in the nephron — the filtering tubes of the kidney, which is exactly what the words “renal cell” are describing.
- The subtype on your report matters — clear cell, papillary and chromophobe are separate diseases under one name.
- Many are found by chance — picked up on a scan done for something else, and small, early kidney cancers are highly curable.
- 45-minute consultation, free — bring the scan and the pathology report and have every line of both read back to you.
17+
Cancer Specialists
on Panel
on Panel
35+
Centres across
Telangana & AP
Telangana & AP
15,000+
Patients
Treated
Treated
4.8★
Google Rating
(800+ reviews)
(800+ reviews)
The short answer
What renal cell carcinoma actually is
It is the cancer that starts in the kidney’s filtering tissue. Each kidney is built from tiny filtering units called nephrons — loops of fine tubing that strain waste out of the blood and turn it into urine. Renal cell carcinoma begins in the cells lining those tubes. That is the whole of the name: renal for kidney, cell for the tubular cells it starts in, carcinoma for a cancer that arises from a lining tissue.
It is the commonest kidney cancer in adults, but it is not the only one. A cancer can also begin in the drainage system that carries urine out of the kidney, or, in children, in immature kidney tissue. Those are different diseases with different treatments, even though they all sit in the same organ. Our kidney cancer guide sets out the whole picture; this page stays with RCC.
Most RCCs are found before they announce themselves. The kidneys sit deep at the back of the abdomen, so a small tumour causes nothing you would notice. That sounds ominous and is actually the opposite: it means a great many renal cell carcinomas are picked up by chance on an ultrasound or CT arranged for a completely different reason — and when a kidney cancer is caught small and still inside the kidney, it is highly curable.
And RCC is a family, not a single disease. Under the microscope the pathologist sorts it into subtypes according to which part of the nephron it came from and how the cells look. Clear cell, papillary and chromophobe are the three you are most likely to see written on a report. They are not interchangeable — they carry different biology, and the subtype is one of the first things a tumour board looks at.
If your report uses words like renal cell carcinoma, clear cell, Fuhrman or WHO/ISUP grade, or T-stage and you are not sure what they add up to, book a free consultation and have it read properly.
Did you know?
You may still see the word hypernephroma on an older report or in an overseas letter. It is a historical name for renal cell carcinoma, from a time when the tumour was wrongly believed to grow from adrenal tissue trapped inside the kidney. The tumour is the same — only the understanding, and the name, have moved on.
Getting the label right
RCC and the other things that grow in a kidney
People often arrive having read about “kidney tumours” in general and worried themselves about the wrong disease. These are the other things a kidney mass can turn out to be, and why each one is kept separate from renal cell carcinoma on a report.
Urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis
This one starts in the renal pelvis — the funnel that collects urine before it drains down the ureter — and its lining is the same kind of tissue as the bladder. So although it sits inside the kidney, it is closer in behaviour to a bladder cancer than to RCC, and it is investigated and treated along those lines instead.
Wilms tumour, a childhood kidney cancer
Wilms tumour, or nephroblastoma, arises from immature kidney tissue left over from development, which is why it is a disease of young children rather than adults. It is not a form of renal cell carcinoma and it is managed by paediatric oncology protocols. Adults reading about kidney cancer can safely set this one aside.
Renal sarcoma, from the supporting tissue
Sarcomas grow from connective tissue — blood vessels, muscle, fat and the fibrous scaffolding that holds the kidney together — rather than from the filtering tubes. They are rare in the kidney, and because the cell of origin is different, so is the treatment approach. The pathologist names them separately for exactly that reason.
Benign kidney tumours, which are not cancer at all
A solid kidney mass is a description, not a diagnosis: up to a third of small kidney masses turn out to be benign. Oncocytomas and fat-containing angiomyolipomas are the two seen most often. Both are benign growths that do not spread, and neither one is renal cell carcinoma — which is why the tissue diagnosis is what settles the question.
A deposit from a cancer that began somewhere else
Occasionally a mass in the kidney is a secondary deposit that has travelled there from a cancer elsewhere in the body. That is a different situation from a cancer that started in the kidney, and it is treated according to where it began, not where it landed. It is one of the things careful imaging and, if needed, a biopsy are there to sort out.
Cysts, which are fluid rather than tissue
Simple kidney cysts are fluid-filled sacs, they are extremely common as we get older, and they are not tumours. Some cysts have thicker walls or internal divisions and are graded by their appearance on contrast imaging, which decides whether they need watching. A cyst on a scan report is not a diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma.
Not sure which of these your report is describing? Book a free consultation and a senior medical oncologist will go through it line by line.
12+ Centres in Hyderabad · Pick yours
CION cancer care is closer than you think.
We're never more than 30 minutes away. Same panel of specialists at every centre. Same tumour board reviews. Same NCCN protocols. Pick the closest one and call directly — or let us pick for you.
CION Ameerpet
CION Kukatpally
CION L.B. Nagar
CION Tolichowki
CION Masab Tank
CION Banjara Hills
CION Kompally
CION Balanagar
CION Siddipet
CION Sangareddy
Not sure which centre fits best? Tell us where you are — we'll suggest the closest one with the right specialists.
Help me pick the right centre
Beyond Hyderabad
35+ centres across Telangana & Andhra Pradesh
Travelling for treatment? We may have a centre right where you are.
Telangana
Andhra Pradesh
Don't see your city? Call 18002028726 — we'll find your nearest CION partner centre.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
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)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Interventional Radiologist
Dr. Mohammed Imran
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
A diagnosis deserves a proper reading, not a search box
A 45-minute consultation, your scans and slides looked at properly, and a plan agreed by a tumour board rather than one doctor. Decisions for healing, not billing.
One name, several diseases
The main subtypes of renal cell carcinoma
Your pathology report will name one of these. Each has its own page, because each has its own biology, its own typical behaviour and its own place in the treatment conversation.
Commonest
Clear cell RCC
Named for how the cells look under the microscope — the fat and sugar inside them washes out during processing and leaves them looking clear. It is the commonest subtype of renal cell carcinoma and the one most closely tied to the VHL gene pathway, which is why it responds to treatments aimed at a tumour’s blood supply.
Two patterns
Papillary RCC
The cells grow in finger-like fronds — papillae — rather than in sheets. Pathologists describe two patterns, type 1 and type 2, and they are not the same animal: type 2 is generally regarded as the more aggressive of the pair. Papillary RCC is also the subtype most likely to appear in more than one place in a kidney.
Less aggressive
Chromophobe RCC
Chromophobe means “colour-fearing” — the cells take up stain poorly in the laboratory. It arises from a later part of the nephron than clear cell RCC and is generally regarded as less aggressive. It is also the subtype that most closely resembles a benign oncocytoma, which is why the tissue diagnosis is made carefully.
Uncommon
Rarer subtypes
Beyond the three above, pathologists recognise a number of uncommon subtypes, each named for its cell of origin or its genetic signature, and a report may also describe sarcomatoid change — a more aggressive appearance that can occur within any subtype. If your report names something unfamiliar, ask for it to be explained rather than searched.
What happens next
What follows a diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma at CION
Diagnosis and systemic treatment at CION are medical-oncology led and in-house. Surgery, ablation and PET-CT are coordinated with specialist urology, uro-oncology and interventional radiology teams at partner centres, where they may also be billed. Nothing is ordered that will not change what happens next.
1
A 45-minute consultation, and your reports read back to you
The first appointment is not a rushed one. A senior medical oncologist goes through the scan report and the pathology report with you — subtype, grade, tumour size, which kidney, what the words mean — and answers the question you actually came with before moving on to plans.
2
Completing the picture, without unnecessary tests
Contrast CT, MRI, kidney function bloods and urine tests are arranged in-house as needed, and a renal mass biopsy is taken when the result would genuinely change the plan. If a PET-CT is indicated, CION coordinates it at a specialist partner centre rather than performing it in-house.
3
Your case goes to a tumour board
Medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, with radiology and pathology, look at your case together and agree a plan in line with NCCN protocols. It is a team decision rather than one doctor’s opinion, and it is the point at which subtype, grade and how far the disease has spread all get weighed at once.
4
The plan is matched to the situation, not to the diagnosis alone
A small tumour may be watched on a planned schedule of scans, which CION monitors in-house. Removing the tumour — partial or radical nephrectomy, including robotic surgery — and ablation with heat or cold are coordinated with specialist partner teams. Immunotherapy, combination immunotherapy, targeted and mTOR therapy and radiation are delivered by CION.
5
Follow-up, kidney function and life afterwards
After treatment the work shifts to surveillance scans on a schedule you are told about in advance, protecting the kidney function you still have, and survivorship support — nutrition, side-effect management and psycho-oncology. Genetic counselling is offered in-house when the diagnosis suggests an inherited pattern.
How each of these is delivered, what it involves and what it costs is set out on our kidney cancer treatment in Hyderabad page — including which drug class is used in which situation.
You do not have to sit with this
A subtype on a report is not a prognosis
Most people who bring us a kidney cancer report leave with a clear next step and far less to worry about than they arrived with.
Real Stories. Real Voices.
15,000+ patients chose CION. Hear from them directly.
These aren't paid endorsements or written reviews. These are video testimonials from real patients and families — recorded on their own phones, in their own words. Pick any one. Watch it. Then decide.
4.8★800+ Google reviews
50+video testimonials
15,000+patients treated
Read all 800+ reviews on Google
Start Your Story. Book Free Consultation.
Common questions
Renal cell carcinoma — your questions answered
What is renal cell carcinoma?
Renal cell carcinoma is the cancer that starts in the lining of the tiny tubes inside the kidney that filter blood and make urine. Those tubes make up the nephron, and the cells lining them are renal tubular cells — which is where the name comes from. It is the commonest form of kidney cancer in adults. Because it begins inside the kidney's own filtering tissue, it behaves differently from a cancer that starts in the drainage system of the kidney, and it is treated differently too. Many renal cell carcinomas are found by chance on a scan arranged for something else entirely.
Is renal cell carcinoma the same as kidney cancer?
Almost, but not quite. Kidney cancer is the umbrella term for anything malignant that starts in the kidney, and renal cell carcinoma is by far the largest group within it. Other things start there too: urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis, which begins in the drainage system rather than the filtering tissue; Wilms tumour, which is a childhood kidney cancer; and rare sarcomas that arise from supporting tissue. Your pathology report separates them, and the distinction matters, because it changes which treatments are useful. When a doctor says kidney cancer to an adult, renal cell carcinoma is usually what is meant.
What causes renal cell carcinoma?
There is rarely a single cause, and nothing you did made this happen. Renal cell carcinoma develops when a kidney tubular cell picks up genetic changes that let it grow unchecked — most often changes in the VHL gene pathway, which normally keeps the cell's response to low oxygen in order. Smoking, long-standing high blood pressure, obesity, long-term dialysis and a family history all raise background risk, and a small number of people carry an inherited syndrome. Genetic counselling is medical-oncology led and offered in-house at CION when the pattern of a diagnosis suggests it would be useful.
What are the subtypes of renal cell carcinoma?
Renal cell carcinoma is not a single disease. The pathologist reports which subtype it is, because they arise from different parts of the nephron and behave differently. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the commonest and the most studied. Papillary renal cell carcinoma is described in two patterns, type 1 and type 2. Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma is less common and is generally regarded as less aggressive. Rarer subtypes exist and are named separately on the report. The subtype is one of the things a tumour board weighs when your plan is made, alongside the grade and how far the tumour has spread.
How is renal cell carcinoma diagnosed?
It usually starts with a scan. An ultrasound or a CT of the abdomen shows a mass, and a contrast CT then characterises it — its size, its blood supply, and whether it is confined to the kidney. An MRI is used when contrast CT is not suitable or when more detail is needed. Blood and urine tests check kidney function and look for blood in the urine. A needle biopsy of the mass is taken when the result would change the plan. All of this is medical-oncology led and arranged in-house at CION. Any PET-CT is coordinated with a specialist partner centre.
Does renal cell carcinoma always need surgery?
No. What is right depends on the size of the tumour, its subtype and grade, whether it has spread, and your own kidney function and general health. A small mass can sometimes be watched on a planned schedule of scans instead of treated straight away, an approach NCCN recognises for small renal masses. When a tumour does need removing, CION coordinates nephron-sparing partial nephrectomy, radical nephrectomy and robotic surgery with specialist urology and uro-oncology teams at partner centres, rather than performing them in-house. Immunotherapy, targeted therapy and radiation are medical-oncology led and delivered by CION.
This page is general information about a kidney cancer diagnosis, not a diagnosis in itself. Only a doctor who has seen your images, your pathology and you can tell you what your own report means.