Renal tumour size measured radiologically before surgery is an unreliable variable for predicting histopathological features: benign tumours are not necessarily small

Abstract

Substantially many renal masses are benign, independent of tumour size. Radical nephrectomy could potentially have been avoided in 42% of patients with benign renal tumours. These data provide a good argument for the use of a more refined preoperative diagnostic evaluation, in particular needle biopsy.