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Statistics at a Glance

At a Glance

Estimated New Cases in 2020 73,750

% of All New Cancer Cases 4.1%

Estimated Deaths in 2020 14,830

% of All Cancer Deaths 2.4%

5-Year
Relative Survival

75.2% 2010–2016
Year Rate of New Cases — SEER 9 Rate of New Cases — SEER 13 Death Rate — U.S. 5-Year Relative Survival — SEER 9
Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend
1975 7.08 7.34 - - 3.61 3.55 52.31% 48.10%
1976 7.97 7.51 - - 3.61 3.59 51.94% 48.83%
1977 8.06 7.69 - - 3.68 3.63 46.80% 49.56%
1978 7.85 7.87 - - 3.69 3.67 54.06% 50.28%
1979 7.63 8.06 - - 3.63 3.71 50.56% 50.99%
1980 8.06 8.25 - - 3.68 3.75 54.74% 51.70%
1981 8.49 8.44 - - 3.73 3.79 47.73% 52.41%
1982 8.35 8.64 - - 3.85 3.84 49.90% 53.11%
1983 8.94 8.85 - - 3.85 3.88 53.03% 53.81%
1984 9.19 9.06 - - 3.90 3.92 55.34% 54.50%
1985 8.94 9.28 - - 3.96 3.96 55.38% 55.18%
1986 9.65 9.50 - - 4.05 4.01 53.57% 55.86%
1987 9.90 9.72 - - 4.14 4.05 56.87% 56.54%
1988 9.94 9.95 - - 4.03 4.10 57.25% 57.20%
1989 10.32 10.19 - - 4.16 4.14 56.65% 57.86%
1990 10.44 10.43 - - 4.19 4.19 59.89% 58.52%
1991 10.65 10.68 - - 4.30 4.23 60.58% 59.17%
1992 10.81 10.80 10.36 10.30 4.29 4.28 60.57% 59.81%
1993 10.76 10.92 10.35 10.44 4.16 4.27 61.26% 60.45%
1994 11.30 11.05 10.73 10.59 4.27 4.27 62.22% 61.08%
1995 11.12 11.18 10.69 10.74 4.34 4.26 61.64% 61.70%
1996 11.35 11.30 10.87 10.89 4.27 4.25 62.80% 62.32%
1997 10.97 11.43 10.80 11.05 4.27 4.24 61.96% 62.92%
1998 11.82 11.57 11.37 11.20 4.26 4.24 63.53% 63.53%
1999 11.46 11.70 11.29 11.36 4.06 4.23 62.76% 64.12%
2000 12.53 12.11 11.91 11.72 4.22 4.22 65.68% 64.71%
2001 12.61 12.53 12.19 12.10 4.27 4.21 66.73% 65.29%
2002 12.94 12.97 12.35 12.48 4.23 4.21 67.87% 67.68%
2003 13.57 13.43 13.03 12.88 4.20 4.17 69.24% 69.94%
2004 13.65 13.90 13.09 13.29 4.13 4.13 71.42% 72.08%
2005 14.08 14.39 13.50 13.72 4.13 4.10 74.72% 74.09%
2006 14.71 14.89 14.12 14.16 4.00 4.06 73.96% 74.50%
2007 15.62 15.41 14.99 14.61 4.02 4.03 75.41% 74.89%
2008 16.00 15.45 15.48 15.07 3.99 3.99 74.68% 75.29%
2009 15.39 15.48 15.11 15.09 3.93 3.96 76.43% 75.67%
2010 15.01 15.51 14.60 15.10 3.92 3.92 75.03% 76.06%
2011 15.57 15.55 14.93 15.11 3.94 3.89 73.47% 76.43%
2012 15.68 15.58 15.04 15.12 3.83 3.86 77.41% 76.81%
2013 15.60 15.61 15.00 15.13 3.86 3.82 - 77.18%
2014 15.55 15.65 15.01 15.14 3.76 3.79 - 77.54%
2015 15.99 15.68 15.62 15.15 3.82 3.76 - 77.90%
2016 15.77 15.72 15.19 15.17 3.60 3.66 - 78.25%
2017 15.58 15.75 15.13 15.18 3.55 3.57 - 78.60%
2018 - - - - 3.51 3.48 - 78.94%

New cases come from SEER 13. Deaths come from U.S. Mortality.
All Races, Both Sexes. Rates are Age-Adjusted.
Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Trend Analysis Software.

New cases are also referred to as incident cases in other publications. Rates of new cases are also referred to as incidence rates.

Rate of New Cases and Deaths per 100,000: The rate of new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer was 16.3 per 100,000 men and women per year. The death rate was 3.6 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are age-adjusted and based on 2013–2017 cases and 2014–2018 deaths.

Lifetime Risk of Developing Cancer: Approximately 1.7 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with kidney and renal pelvis cancer at some point during their lifetime, based on 2015–2017 data.

Prevalence of This Cancer: In 2017, there were an estimated 558,023 people living with kidney and renal pelvis cancer in the United States.

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While new diagnoses of kidney and renal pelvis cancer are on the rise, deaths have remained steady.
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Survival Statistics

How Many People Survive 5 Years Or More after Being Diagnosed with Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer?

Relative survival is an estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer. It excludes the risk of dying from other causes. Because survival statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. No two patients are entirely alike, and treatment and responses to treatment can vary greatly.

75.2%

5-Year
Relative Survival

75.2%

Based on data from SEER 18 2010–2016. Gray figures represent those who have died from kidney and renal pelvis cancer. Green figures represent those who have survived 5 years or more.

Additional Information

Survival by Stage

Cancer stage at diagnosis, which refers to extent of a cancer in the body, determines treatment options and has a strong influence on the length of survival. In general, if the cancer is found only in the part of the body where it started it is localized (sometimes referred to as stage 1). If it has spread to a different part of the body, the stage is regional or distant. The earlier kidney and renal pelvis cancer is caught, the better chance a person has of surviving five years after being diagnosed. For kidney and renal pelvis cancer, 65.2% are diagnosed at the local stage. The 5-year relative survival for localized kidney and renal pelvis cancer is 92.6%.

Percent of Cases & 5-Year Relative Survival by Stage at Diagnosis: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Stage Percent of Cases 5-Year Relative Survival
Localized
Confined to Primary Site		 65% 92.6%
Regional
Spread to Regional Lymph Nodes		 16% 70.4%
Distant
Cancer Has Metastasized		 16% 13.0%
Unknown
Unstaged		 3% 42.3%

SEER 18 2010–2016, All Races, Both Sexes by SEER Summary Stage 2000

Additional Information

New Cases and Deaths

How Common Is This Cancer?

Compared to other cancers, kidney and renal pelvis cancer is fairly common.

Rank Common Types of Cancer Estimated New
Cases 2020		 Estimated
Deaths 2020
1. Breast Cancer (Female) 276,480 42,170
2. Lung and Bronchus Cancer 228,820 135,720
3. Prostate Cancer 191,930 33,330
4. Colorectal Cancer 147,950 53,200
5. Melanoma of the Skin 100,350 6,850
6. Bladder Cancer 81,400 17,980
7. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 77,240 19,940
8. Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer 73,750 14,830
9. Uterine Cancer 65,620 12,590
10. Leukemia 60,530 23,100

Kidney and renal pelvis cancer represents 4.1% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.

4.1%

In 2020, it is estimated that there will be 73,750 new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer and an estimated 14,830 people will die of this disease.

Who Gets This Cancer?

Kidney cancer is more common in men than women and among African Americans and American Indian and Alaska Native populations. The rate of new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer was 16.3 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2013–2017 cases, age-adjusted.

Rate of New Cases per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Males
All Races 22.4
White 23.0
Black 24.5
Asian/Pacific Islander 12.5
American Indian/Alaska Native 22.9
Hispanic 21.4
Non-Hispanic 22.6
Females
All Races 11.1
White 11.4
Black 12.2
Asian/Pacific Islander 5.8
American Indian/Alaska Native 13.7
Hispanic 11.7
Non-Hispanic 10.9

SEER 21 2013–2017, Age-Adjusted

Percent of New Cases by Age Group: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Age Range Percent of New Cases
<20 1.0%
20–34 1.9%
35–44 5.8%
45–54 15.0%
55–64 26.7%
65–74 28.2%
75–84 15.8%
>84 5.6%

Kidney and renal pelvis cancer is most frequently diagnosed among people aged 65–74.

Median Age
At Diagnosis

64

SEER 21 2013–2017, All Races, Both Sexes

Who Dies From This Cancer?

Kidney and renal pelvis cancer is the twelfth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The death rate was 3.6 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2014–2018 deaths, age-adjusted.

Death Rate per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Males
All Races 5.3
White 5.5
Black 5.3
Asian/Pacific Islander 2.5
American Indian/Alaska Native 8.3
Hispanic 4.9
Non-Hispanic 5.4
Females
All Races 2.3
White 2.3
Black 2.2
Asian/Pacific Islander 1.1
American Indian/Alaska Native 3.2
Hispanic 2.2
Non-Hispanic 2.3

U.S. 2014–2018, Age-Adjusted

Percent of Deaths by Age Group: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Age Range Percent of Deaths
<20 0.3%
20–34 0.6%
35–44 1.6%
45–54 7.2%
55–64 20.3%
65–74 28.3%
75–84 25.1%
>84 16.6%

The percent of kidney and renal pelvis cancer deaths is highest among people aged 65–74.

Median Age
At Death

72

U.S. 2014–2018, All Races, Both Sexes

Trends in Rates

Changes Over Time

Keeping track of new cases, deaths, and survival over time (trends) can help scientists understand whether progress is being made and where additional research is needed to address challenges, such as improving screening or finding better treatments.

Using statistical models for analysis, age-adjusted rates for new kidney and renal pelvis cancer cases have been stable over 2008–2017. Age-adjusted death rates have been falling on average 1.4% each year over 2009–2018. 5-year relative survival trends are shown below.

New Cases, Deaths and 5-Year Relative Survival
View Data Table

Interactive Statistics with SEER*Explorer

With SEER*Explorer, you can...
  • Create custom graphs and tables
  • Download data and images
  • Share links to results

SEER*Explorer is an interactive website that provides easy access to a wide range of SEER cancer statistics. It provides detailed statistics for a cancer site by gender, race, calendar year, age, and for a selected number of cancer sites, by stage and histology.

Explore Additional Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer Statistics

More About This Cancer

Cancer and the Kidney

Illustration of kidney and adrenal gland.
Figure: Kidney and Adrenal Gland
Click to enlarge.
Figure: Kidney and Adrenal Gland

Figure: The kidney (including the surrounding fibrous tissue and fat layer, the renal pelvis, and the ureter) and the adrenal gland, as well as a close-up view of the renal pelvis.

This cancer forms in tissues of the kidneys. Kidney cancer includes renal cell carcinoma (cancer that forms in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products) and renal pelvis carcinoma (cancer that forms in the center of the kidney where urine collects). It also includes Wilms tumor, which is a type of kidney cancer that usually develops in children under the age of 5.

Additional Information

More Information

Here are some resources for learning more about kidney cancer.

References

All statistics in this report are based on statistics from SEER and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Most can be found within SEER*Explorer.

Suggested Citation

All material in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/kidrp.html

These stat facts focus on population statistics that are based on the U.S. population. Because these statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. To see tailored statistics, browse SEER*Explorer. To see statistics for a specific state, go to the State Cancer Profiles.

The statistics presented in these stat facts are based on the most recent data available, most of which can be found in SEER*Explorer. In some cases, different year spans may be used.

Estimates of new cases and deaths for 2020 are projections made by the American Cancer Society (ACS), based on earlier reported data.

Cancer is a complex topic. There is a wide range of information available. These stat facts do not address causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, or decision making, although links are provided to information in many of these areas.