Stages, types and grades of kidney cancer

The type of kidney cancer tells your doctor what sort of cell it started in. The grade tells them how much the cells look like normal cells. Knowing the type and grade of kidney cancer helps your doctor decide which treatment you need.

Your doctor might use a number staging system for kidney cancer. This describes how big it is and how far it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage of cancer and stage 4 is the most advanced.

Your doctor might use the TNM staging system for kidney cancer. This describes how big it is and how far it has spread. TNM stands for Tumour, Node and Metastasis.

Upper urinary tract urothelial cancer is a rare type of cancer of the lining of the kidney or ureter. Upper urinary tract urothelial cancer can start in a part of the kidney called the renal pelvis. Or it can start in the ureters.