Metastases form when your cancer spreads to other organs and tissues from the original tumour in your kidney. Metastasectomy is the removal of metastases using surgery.

The role of metastasectomy in advanced kidney cancer is controversial; however, advances in scanning techniques have enabled doctors to better select patients who can have this procedure.

A review of the literature about metastasectomy in kidney cancer patients was carried out. The review concluded that people with a low number of metastases that were able to be completely removed with surgery, and the length of time the patient had been free of disease resulted in good outcomes.

Metastasectomy can be offered to some patients with advanced kidney cancer, particularly those with low numbers of metastases that can be completely removed with surgery.

Read more in Practice Update here