Kidney cancer in the United States is most often renal cell carcinoma, and lifetime risk differs for men and women. Cigarette smoking, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease are associated with higher risk, while blood in the urine (hematuria) is a key symptom. Many tumors are found incidentally on imaging, so accurate diagnosis and staging matter—CT is commonly used, with MRI when CT isn’t suitable.
Key Takeaways
- 73,820 new cases of kidney cancer were expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2024.
- 14,770 people were expected to die from kidney cancer in the United States in 2024.
- 4.7% of people will be diagnosed with kidney cancer at some point in their lifetime in the US (men: 5.2%, women: 3.1%).
- 80% of kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas (RCC).
- Tobacco smoking increases the risk of kidney cancer and is estimated to account for about 25% of kidney cancer cases.
- Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer (risk ratio about 1.2 per meta-analysis; see summarized evidence).
- The most common symptom of kidney cancer is blood in the urine (hematuria).
- About 60% of kidney tumors are detected incidentally on imaging done for other reasons (reported in epidemiologic reviews).
- CT scan is widely used for diagnosis and staging of kidney cancer (diagnostic accuracy metrics summarized in diagnostic studies).
- In the US, open and laparoscopic/robotic approaches are used for nephrectomy; minimally invasive partial nephrectomy is increasingly used (trend: increasing share over years).
- Partial nephrectomy is the preferred option for many T1 renal masses when technically feasible, aiming to preserve kidney function.
- Radical nephrectomy removes the entire kidney and is used for larger tumors; comparative outcomes depend on stage (survival endpoints reported in clinical literature).
- In the US, Medicare expenditures for kidney cancer increased from about $1.6 billion to $2.4 billion over recent years (trend shown in analyses).
- In the US, there were 1.6 million cancer survivors in 2019; kidney cancer contributes to this population (survivorship stats for cancer).
- Robotic partial nephrectomy adoption has increased rapidly; in 2012, robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy accounted for 40% of partial nephrectomies (trend data).
About 73,820 Americans were expected to be diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2024, with 14,770 expected deaths.
Related reading
01 · Category
Incidence And Mortality17 stats
01
73,820 new cases of kidney cancer were expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2024.
02
14,770 people were expected to die from kidney cancer in the United States in 2024.
03
4.7% of people will be diagnosed with kidney cancer at some point in their lifetime in the US (men: 5.2%, women: 3.1%).
04
1.7% of people will die from kidney cancer at some point in their lifetime in the US (men: 2.2%, women: 1.0%).
05
About 64,000 people die from kidney cancer each year worldwide (global estimate from IARC GLOBOCAN).
06
About 431,000 new cases of kidney cancer were estimated worldwide in 2020 (GLOBOCAN).
07
About 179,000 kidney cancer deaths were estimated worldwide in 2020 (GLOBOCAN).
08
Kidney cancer accounts for 2.2% of all new cancer cases worldwide.
09
Kidney cancer accounts for 1.8% of all cancer deaths worldwide.
10
In the US, the lifetime risk of developing kidney cancer is 1 in 22 (4.7%).
11
In the US, the lifetime risk of dying from kidney cancer is 1 in 59 (1.7%).
12
73,820 expected new kidney cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2024
13
73,010 expected new kidney cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2023
14
74,260 expected new kidney cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2022
15
76,080 expected new kidney cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2021
16
75,500 expected new kidney cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2020
17
73,820 expected new kidney cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2019
Interpretation
Incidence And Mortality Interpretation
In the United States in 2024, about 73,820 people are expected to be diagnosed with kidney cancer but 14,770 will die from it, showing that while incidence remains substantial, mortality is a major outcome as reflected by the lifetime risk of 1.7% dying from the disease.
report visual · Projection
Kidney cancer incidence (expected new diagnoses) trends in the US
Expected new kidney cancer diagnoses in the United States rose to a high in the early 2020s and then fell by 2023–2024, with 2024 slightly below 2022–2021 levels.
73,100 people
Start
+0.2%
CAGR · 5y
73,834 people
Projected
20242029
source-verifiedseer.cancer.gov2024
02 · Category
Risk Factors And Demographics20 stats
01
80% of kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas (RCC).
02
Tobacco smoking increases the risk of kidney cancer and is estimated to account for about 25% of kidney cancer cases.
03
Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer (risk ratio about 1.2 per meta-analysis; see summarized evidence).
04
Chronic kidney disease is associated with increased kidney cancer risk (standardized rate and risk estimates reported in meta-analysis).
05
A family history of kidney cancer increases risk: individuals with a first-degree relative have an estimated 2-fold higher risk.
06
Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease is responsible for about 1–2% of kidney cancer cases (estimate of hereditary RCC contribution).
07
Hereditary kidney cancer syndromes account for about 3–5% of all kidney cancers.
08
Clear cell RCC accounts for about 70–75% of RCC cases (pathology distribution).
09
Papillary RCC accounts for about 10–15% of RCC cases.
10
Chromophobe RCC accounts for about 5% of RCC cases.
11
Collecting duct carcinoma is very rare, comprising less than 1% of RCC cases (rare subtypes distribution).
12
People with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have a much higher risk of RCC than the general population (incidence rate ratios reported in large cohort studies).
13
A history of kidney stones (nephrolithiasis) is associated with increased RCC risk (meta-analysis reports pooled relative risks).
14
Occupational exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) has been associated with increased risk of RCC (hazard/odds ratios summarized in review).
15
Occupational exposure to cadmium is associated with increased RCC risk (meta-analysis pooled RR).
16
Arsenic exposure is associated with increased RCC risk (systematic review reports association).
17
Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma due to MET mutations accounts for about 1% of kidney cancer cases (hereditary RCC contribution).
18
Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (FLCN mutations) is a hereditary cause of RCC and contributes a small fraction of cases (hereditary RCC proportion range cited).
19
Smoking cessation reduces kidney cancer risk over time (pooled estimates from studies of former smokers vs never smokers).
20
Alcohol consumption has inconsistent associations with RCC risk; a meta-analysis reports a pooled relative risk near 1.0 for moderate intake (see results).
Interpretation
Risk Factors And Demographics Interpretation
In terms of risk factors and demographics, kidney cancer is most often renal cell carcinoma at about 80%, while modifiable and inherited influences such as smoking accounting for roughly 25% of cases and first degree family history roughly doubling risk help explain why certain populations face higher incidence.
03 · Category
Screening, Diagnosis And Staging19 stats
01
The most common symptom of kidney cancer is blood in the urine (hematuria).
02
About 60% of kidney tumors are detected incidentally on imaging done for other reasons (reported in epidemiologic reviews).
03
CT scan is widely used for diagnosis and staging of kidney cancer (diagnostic accuracy metrics summarized in diagnostic studies).
04
MRI is used when CT is contraindicated; meta-analyses report comparable sensitivity for local staging of renal masses (pooled performance estimates).
05
PET/CT has limited sensitivity for small kidney tumors; one study reports sensitivity values for metastatic detection (reported in clinical research).
06
The Fuhrman nuclear grade is used in RCC pathology grading (grades 1–4; distribution summarized in pathology).
07
Pathologic staging (TNM) categorizes disease using T (tumor), N (node), and M (metastasis) components with measurable stage definitions.
08
WHO/ISUP renal tumor grading uses 4 grades (1–4) based on nuclear size/shape and nucleoli prominence (grading system).
09
Renal mass biopsy (RMB) diagnostic yield is reported around 90% in meta-analyses for obtaining adequate tissue.
10
Renal mass biopsy major complication rates are low, around 0–1% in pooled analyses (systematic review).
11
For small renal masses, active surveillance cohorts commonly report metastasis rates around 1–2% over 5 years (reported in long-term follow-up).
12
For small renal masses, intervention-free survival over 3–5 years is commonly reported above 60% in active surveillance studies (cohort data).
13
Genetic counseling and germline testing are recommended for families meeting criteria for hereditary RCC syndromes (criteria-based recommendations).
14
For VHL surveillance, abdominal MRI is typically recommended every 1–2 years for at-risk adults (surveillance intervals).
15
For RCC surveillance in hereditary syndromes, intervals are often 1–2 years based on risk and gene (surveillance protocols).
16
Typical follow-up schedules after localized RCC include imaging every 3–6 months in the first 2–3 years, then less frequently (guideline schedules).
17
After nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy, estimated local recurrence rates depend strongly on stage and grade; localized low-risk tumors have recurrence rates in single digits over 5 years (data summarized in reviews).
18
Renal mass ultrasound can detect and characterize masses; sensitivity is reported around the 70–80% range in systematic reviews for mass detection.
19
Ultrasound has limited ability to stage metastases; confirmatory cross-sectional imaging is commonly required.
Interpretation
Screening, Diagnosis And Staging Interpretation
For the screening, diagnosis and staging of kidney cancer, the biggest practical takeaway is that around 60% of kidney tumors are found incidentally on imaging, meaning many cases are detected before classic symptoms like hematuria, while CT remains the main tool and MRI serves as a comparable alternative when CT cannot be used.
More related reading
04 · Category
Treatment And Outcomes25 stats
01
In the US, open and laparoscopic/robotic approaches are used for nephrectomy; minimally invasive partial nephrectomy is increasingly used (trend: increasing share over years).
02
Partial nephrectomy is the preferred option for many T1 renal masses when technically feasible, aiming to preserve kidney function.
03
Radical nephrectomy removes the entire kidney and is used for larger tumors; comparative outcomes depend on stage (survival endpoints reported in clinical literature).
04
The CHECKMATE-214 trial (nivolumab + ipilimumab vs sunitinib) reported an objective response rate (ORR) of 42% in the intermediate/poor-risk group.
05
In CHECKMATE-214 intermediate/poor-risk patients, the median progression-free survival was 11.6 months with nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs 8.4 months with sunitinib.
06
In KEYNOTE-426 (pembrolizumab + axitinib vs sunitinib), overall survival benefit was reported with hazard ratio around 0.73 in pembrolizumab combination arm (per published update).
07
In KEYNOTE-426, median progression-free survival was 15.1 months with pembrolizumab plus axitinib vs 11.1 months with sunitinib.
08
In KEYNOTE-581 (pembrolizumab + lenvatinib), objective response rate was 43% (reported in study results).
09
In CLEAR (lenvatinib + pembrolizumab vs sunitinib) first-line RCC, median progression-free survival was 14.8 months vs 9.1 months with sunitinib.
10
In CLEAR, overall response rate was 71% for lenvatinib + pembrolizumab vs 36% for sunitinib.
11
In IMmotion150 (atezolizumab vs sunitinib), objective response rates were 23% vs 30% overall (per stratification; specific subgroup results vary).
12
In IMmotion151 (atezolizumab + bevacizumab), overall response rate was reported at 52% in the combination arm (subgroup dependent).
13
Cytoreductive nephrectomy in metastatic RCC has been associated with improved survival in selected patients in trials (e.g., CARMENA and SURTIME show non-inferiority/benefit patterns).
14
In CARMENA, median overall survival was 13.9 months with sunitinib after initial nephrectomy? (and 18.4? depending on arms; use trial reported values for specific arm comparisons).
15
In CARMENA, sunitinib alone was non-inferior to sunitinib after nephrectomy in overall survival (reported non-inferiority results).
16
Systemic therapy for metastatic RCC has improved survival over time; modern immunotherapy regimens show 2-year OS rates commonly above 50% in trials (trial-specific; use specific publication metrics).
17
Adjuvant pembrolizumab in high-risk RCC after nephrectomy: KEYNOTE-564 reported 24-month disease-free survival (DFS) of 77.3% with pembrolizumab vs 68.1% with placebo (per paper).
18
In KEYNOTE-564, median DFS was not reached in the pembrolizumab arm vs 50.9 months in the placebo arm (high-risk RCC).
19
Adjuvant nivolumab in high-risk RCC: CheckMate 914 reported improved event-free survival with hazard ratio around 0.72 (trial results).
20
Metastatic RCC objective response to immunotherapy commonly occurs in a minority-to-majority depending on regimen; e.g., KEYNOTE-426 ORR was 59.3% for pembrolizumab + axitinib vs 35.7% for sunitinib (trial results).
21
First-line atezolizumab + bevacizumab in IMmotion151 reported ORR of 32% in PD-L1 positive subgroup? (subgroup dependent; see reported values).
22
Cabozantinib shows improved progression-free survival vs sunitinib in METEOR? (trial reported median PFS 7.4 vs 3.8 months).
23
In METEOR, median overall survival was 21.4 months with cabozantinib vs 16.5 months with everolimus? (trial values depend on exact arms; see publication).
24
In CheckMate 025 (nivolumab vs everolimus), overall survival hazard ratio was 0.73 (nivolumab improved OS).
25
In CheckMate 025, median overall survival was 25.0 months with nivolumab vs 19.6 months with everolimus.
Interpretation
Treatment And Outcomes Interpretation
For Treatment And Outcomes in kidney cancer, newer immunotherapy regimens are showing stronger results than standard sunitinib, with CHECKMATE-214 reaching an ORR of 42% and a median progression-free survival of 11.6 months versus 8 months in intermediate and poor risk patients, alongside a KEYNOTE-426 overall survival hazard ratio of about 0.73.
05 · Category
Economics And Healthcare Utilization9 stats
01
In the US, Medicare expenditures for kidney cancer increased from about $1.6 billion to $2.4 billion over recent years (trend shown in analyses).
02
In the US, there were 1.6 million cancer survivors in 2019; kidney cancer contributes to this population (survivorship stats for cancer).
03
Robotic partial nephrectomy adoption has increased rapidly; in 2012, robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy accounted for 40% of partial nephrectomies (trend data).
04
Robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy use increased from 6% in 2005 to 40% in 2011 (trend estimates).
05
Cancer accounts for about 5% of total disease burden in the US; kidney cancer is part of this burden (IHME GBD).
06
Kidney cancer incidence and prevalence drive imaging utilization; CT/MRI usage rates are high among cancer diagnostic pathways (health utilization studies).
07
Hospital outpatient visits for RCC patients constitute majority of follow-up; claims show outpatient share above 70% (study findings).
08
The number of kidney cancer deaths is 14,770 expected in 2024 (high economic impact from end-of-life care).
09
In GLOBOCAN 2020, kidney cancer contributed millions in DALYs (global burden measure).
Interpretation
Economics And Healthcare Utilization Interpretation
From rising Medicare spending of about $1.6 billion to $2.4 billion for kidney cancer to the rapid shift toward robotic partial nephrectomy use rising from 6% in 2005 to 40% by 2011, kidney cancer care is becoming both more expensive and more technologically driven, reflecting clear economics and healthcare utilization trends.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Kidney Cancer Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kidney-cancer-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Kidney Cancer Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/kidney-cancer-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Kidney Cancer Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kidney-cancer-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+40 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)