title: Renal tumor natural history: the rationale and role for active surveillance.
abstract: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common malignancy of the kidney. Despite widespread treatment at diagnosis, overall mortality rates associated with RCC have not decreased. Partly because of the more frequent use of abdominal imaging, diagnosis as an incidental finding has increased. The largest increase in incidence is in tumors smaller than 4 cm, termed small renal masses (SRMs). SRMs that are RCC may frequently be growth slowly and have a low risk of early progression. Initial active surveillance with delayed treatment for progression for selected patients should be considered. This should result in an overall decrease in treatment burden and cost saving.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital and the University Health Network, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, 3-124, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2C4. m.jewett@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Michael A S
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jewett
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zuniga
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018450:Disease Progression; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors