Kidney Masses & Cancer
Does ablation get rid of kidney cancer for good?
The short answer
For many small kidney tumors, ablation can control the cancer well.
But no treatment can promise that.
Worth knowing
Some tumors need a second treatment, and regular scans are needed afterward to check the area.
Surgery remains an option if needed.
When to come in
If you're weighing ablation, schedule a visit to talk through the expected results for your tumor.
Talking it over with us
We’d be glad to talk this through with you at our Snellville Clinic & Surgery Center, 1557 Janmar Rd, Snellville, GA 30078, or our Conyers Clinic, 1366 Wellbrook Circle Suite B, Conyers, GA 30012. You can ask for a particular urologist by name, or let our scheduling team find the first opening.
How our urologists approach this
When a small kidney mass is found, our urologists look at its size, its location and your overall health before recommending anything. Depending on the tumor, choices can include watching it with regular scans, ablation, or surgery that removes part or all of the kidney. For ablation, we explain why follow-up scans matter so much, and we make sure you know that surgery is still possible if the area needs more treatment.
What to expect when you see us
Please bring your scan reports, and the images themselves if you have them. We’ll review your kidney function, your other medical conditions and your medicines, especially blood thinners. A biopsy is often part of planning, and we’ll explain why.
Getting ready
Bring your scan images or a portal link, recent blood work and your medicine list, including blood thinners. Write down your questions about follow-up scans, and bring a family member if you’d like help remembering details.
When to call us
Call us if you notice blood in your urine, have new side or back pain, or haven’t heard about your next scan date.
Questions we often hear
Can a tumor need more than one treatment?
Some tumors need a second treatment, which is why regular scans follow ablation.
Watch a short video
Dr. A. Dev Mally talks about kidney cancer care in this short video.
Keep reading
This is general education, not a diagnosis. All articles