A new draft guideline, issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), aims to reduce variation in treatment between hospitals and prevent unnecessary surgery for the removal of kidney tumours. This will improve the care and treatment of kidney cancer patients and support healthcare professionals.

The draft guideline has been developed with clinical experts and patients, including Rose Woodward from Action Kidney Cancer.

One of the main recommendations in the new draft guideline is that people with suspected kidney cancer and a tumour less than 4 cm should be offered a biopsy to help confirm their diagnosis sooner and treat their disease more effectively.  This could reduce the number of unnecessary surgeries for benign lesions and allow healthcare professionals and patients to take a more informed approach to treatment.

A biopsy can also be considered for people with larger lesions where scans suggest it is benign, or before they have non-surgical treatments that will destroy the lesion, or if the person requests one.

The draft guideline also emphasises the need for patient information and support. It recommends that all patients should have access to clinical nurse specialists with kidney cancer expertise who will give them personalised care plans including details of their treatment, follow-up schedules, and clear contact information for when they need support.

Also covered is the information and support needed for people affected by kidney cancer through all stages of the care pathway.

The diagnosis and management of heritable genetic conditions that increase the risk of developing kidney cancer, such as Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL), is also covered.

On 17 September, NICE launched its consultation on the new draft kidney cancer clinical guideline, which provides a comprehensive overview of the diagnosis, treatment, and care of adults with suspected or confirmed renal cell carcinoma (a type of kidney cancer).

Read more here and access the NICE kidney cancer guideline consultation