title: The incidental renal mass. Management alternatives.
abstract: The problem of the incidental renal mass will confront all urologists with increasing regularity, and no universal strategy can be employed. Complete excision of the mass, including a margin of normal tissue, may be adequate therapy if a cancer is present and will preserve renal parenchyma if the lesion is benign. Care must be taken not to stretch the limits of this approach. Larger lesions (greater than 3-4 cm) are likely to be cancer and are better treated with a nephrectomy. While this management philosophy is logical and appealing, it has not been validated by clinical experience, and caution must still be exercised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Montie
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods