Decreasing Size at Diagnosis of Stage 1 Renal Cell Carcinoma: Analysis From the National Cancer Data Base, 1993 to 2004

Tumor size at diagnosis is decreasing with time in patients with stage I renal cell carcinoma. These data likely underestimate the proportion of all enhancing renal masses diagnosed at a small size. Patients with small masses may be appropriate candidates for nephron sparing surgery, energy based ablative therapy or active surveillance. Better technologies are needed to determine the diagnosis and prognosis of small enhancing renal masses.