Kidney Masses & Cancer
Questions to ask after a kidney mass is found
What is the short answer?
A mass was found on your kidney.
Here are questions to ask.
What should I ask at my visit?
- How big is it, and does it look solid or like a cyst?
- Do I need more imaging or a biopsy?
- Is watching it an option?
- Could it be treated with ablation, or surgery that saves most of the kidney?
- How will treatment affect my kidney function?
When should I make an appointment?
Bring these questions if any scan report mentions a kidney mass or complex cyst.
What happens at a visit?
Lilburn families are welcome at our Snellville Clinic & Surgery Center (1557 Janmar Rd, Snellville, GA 30078) and our Lawrenceville Clinic & Surgery Center (501 Crown Pointe Way, Lawrenceville, GA 30046). Our team will help you book at either one.
How do our urologists approach this?
Hearing that you have a kidney mass is stressful, and our urologists slow things down so you can understand your situation. We review your imaging and explain whether the mass looks solid or like a cyst, and whether more imaging or a biopsy would help. Based on what it turns out to be, care may mean regular scans to watch it, ablation, or an operation removing some or all of the kidney.
What happens at a visit?
Bring the scan report and the images if you can, plus recent blood work showing kidney function. We’ll go over your health history and medicines, and walk through each question on this page with you.
How should I prepare?
Print this page or save the questions on your phone, and add your own. Ask the imaging center for a copy of your scan on disc or through a portal link, and bring your medicine list with you.
When should I call?
Reach out if you notice blood when you urinate, develop new pain in your side, or are still waiting to hear about imaging.
What do patients often ask?
These are the questions we hear most, each with a short answer.
Is every kidney mass cancer?
No. Some are benign, which is why imaging details and sometimes a biopsy matter.
Is there a video on this?
Dr. A. Dev Mally, one of our Snellville urologists, talks about kidney cancer in this video.
- Watch: Dr. Mally on Kidney Cancer What the video covers: Dr. Mally talks about kidney cancer.
Where can I learn more?
Use this as a starting point for a conversation with us. Every Lilburn article