New cases come from SEER 12. 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. The 2020 incidence rate is displayed but not used in the fit of the trend line(s). Impact of COVID on SEER Cancer Incidence 2020 data
New cases are also referred to as incident cases in other publications. Rates of new cases are also referred to as incidence rates.
Age-Adjusted Rates of New Cases/Deaths Per 100,000 & 5-Year Relative Survival Percentages
Year
Rate of New Cases — SEER 8
Rate of New Cases — SEER 12
Death Rate — U.S.
5-Year Relative Survival — SEER 8
Observed
Modeled Trend
Observed
Modeled Trend
Observed
Modeled Trend
Observed
Modeled Trend
1975
6.83
7.15
-
-
3.61
3.55
54.61%
49.26%
1976
8.09
7.32
-
-
3.61
3.59
52.94%
49.89%
1977
7.71
7.49
-
-
3.68
3.63
48.28%
50.52%
1978
7.64
7.66
-
-
3.69
3.67
54.35%
51.14%
1979
7.47
7.84
-
-
3.63
3.71
51.11%
51.75%
1980
7.91
8.02
-
-
3.68
3.75
55.88%
52.37%
1981
8.33
8.21
-
-
3.73
3.79
48.53%
52.98%
1982
8.14
8.40
-
-
3.85
3.83
50.76%
53.58%
1983
8.50
8.59
-
-
3.85
3.88
54.11%
54.18%
1984
8.80
8.79
-
-
3.90
3.92
55.02%
54.78%
1985
8.43
9.00
-
-
3.96
3.96
55.60%
55.37%
1986
9.19
9.20
-
-
4.05
4.01
53.09%
55.96%
1987
9.56
9.42
-
-
4.14
4.05
58.46%
56.55%
1988
9.72
9.64
-
-
4.03
4.10
56.93%
57.12%
1989
10.09
9.86
-
-
4.16
4.14
55.53%
57.70%
1990
10.20
10.09
-
-
4.19
4.19
59.17%
58.27%
1991
10.26
10.33
-
-
4.30
4.24
60.47%
58.84%
1992
10.33
10.38
9.97
10.00
4.29
4.28
60.58%
59.40%
1993
10.44
10.43
10.09
10.08
4.16
4.27
60.21%
59.95%
1994
10.52
10.48
10.13
10.16
4.27
4.27
62.89%
60.50%
1995
10.62
10.54
10.29
10.25
4.34
4.26
61.07%
61.05%
1996
10.85
10.59
10.46
10.33
4.27
4.25
62.10%
61.59%
1997
10.41
10.65
10.39
10.42
4.27
4.24
61.67%
62.13%
1998
11.30
11.02
10.97
10.76
4.26
4.23
63.45%
62.66%
1999
11.14
11.41
11.05
11.11
4.06
4.22
62.76%
63.18%
2000
12.04
11.82
11.49
11.47
4.22
4.22
66.36%
65.02%
2001
12.25
12.24
11.89
11.85
4.27
4.21
66.94%
66.80%
2002
12.37
12.67
11.90
12.24
4.23
4.20
68.97%
68.51%
2003
13.32
13.12
12.79
12.64
4.20
4.17
68.48%
70.15%
2004
13.35
13.59
12.82
13.05
4.13
4.13
71.24%
71.72%
2005
13.78
14.07
13.25
13.48
4.13
4.10
74.89%
73.23%
2006
14.40
14.57
13.85
13.92
4.00
4.07
73.81%
73.85%
2007
15.26
15.09
14.67
14.38
4.02
4.04
75.14%
74.46%
2008
15.42
14.96
15.02
14.85
3.99
4.01
75.33%
75.06%
2009
14.91
14.84
14.75
14.68
3.93
3.97
76.50%
75.65%
2010
14.54
14.72
14.26
14.52
3.93
3.94
74.89%
76.22%
2011
15.11
14.93
14.55
14.35
3.95
3.91
73.46%
76.78%
2012
15.20
15.13
14.68
14.57
3.85
3.88
77.63%
77.34%
2013
15.17
15.35
14.66
14.80
3.89
3.85
77.31%
77.88%
2014
15.17
15.56
14.73
15.02
3.79
3.80
77.05%
78.41%
2015
16.04
15.78
15.68
15.25
3.87
3.75
78.51%
78.93%
2016
16.05
16.00
15.42
15.49
3.65
3.69
79.20%
79.44%
2017
16.09
16.22
15.65
15.73
3.61
3.64
78.15%
79.93%
2018
16.42
16.45
15.73
15.97
3.59
3.59
-
80.42%
2019
16.69
16.68
16.30
16.21
3.48
3.54
-
80.90%
2020
14.82
16.30
14.27
15.82
3.52
3.50
-
81.36%
2021
16.28
15.94
15.84
15.44
3.40
3.45
-
81.82%
2022
15.35
15.58
14.81
15.07
3.42
3.40
-
82.27%
2023
-
-
-
-
3.39
3.35
-
82.71%
Rate of New Cases and Deaths per 100,000: The rate of new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer was 17.5 per 100,000 men and women per year. The death rate was 3.4 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are age-adjusted and based on 2018–2022 cases and 2019–2023 deaths.
Lifetime Risk of Developing Cancer: Approximately 1.8 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with kidney and renal pelvis cancer at some point during their lifetime, based on 2018–2021 data, excluding 2020 due to COVID.
Prevalence of This Cancer: In 2022, there were an estimated 676,631 people living with kidney and renal pelvis cancer in the United States.
Did You Know? Video Series
Did You Know? Video Series
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.
5-Year Relative Survival
78.6%
Based on data from SEER 21 (Excluding IL) 2015–2021. Gray figures represent those who have died from kidney and renal pelvis cancer. Green figures represent those who have survived 5 years or more.
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, 65.7% are diagnosed at the local stage. The 5-year relative survival for localized kidney and renal pelvis cancer is 93.3%.
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
66%
93.3%
Regional Spread to Regional Lymph Nodes
16%
76.4%
Distant Cancer Has Metastasized
15%
19.1%
Unknown Unstaged
3%
54.3%
Percent of Cases by Stage
Localized (66%) Confined to Primary Site
Regional (16%) Spread to Regional Lymph Nodes
Distant (15%) Cancer Has Metastasized
Unknown (3%) Unstaged
5-Year Relative Survival
SEER 21 (Excluding IL) 2015–2021, All Races, Both Sexes by SEER Combined Summary Stage
Compared to other cancers, kidney and renal pelvis cancer is fairly common.
Rank
Common Types of Cancer
Estimated New Cases 2025
Estimated Deaths 2025
1.
Breast Cancer (Female)
316,950
42,170
2.
Prostate Cancer
313,780
35,770
3.
Lung and Bronchus Cancer
226,650
124,730
4.
Colorectal Cancer
154,270
52,900
5.
Melanoma of the Skin
104,960
8,430
6.
Bladder Cancer
84,870
17,420
7.
Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
80,980
14,510
8.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
80,350
19,390
9.
Uterine Cancer
69,120
13,860
10.
Pancreatic Cancer
67,440
51,980
Kidney and renal pelvis cancer represents 4.0% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.
4.0%
In 2025, it is estimated that there will be 80,980 new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer and an estimated 14,510 people will die of this disease.
Who Gets This Cancer?
Kidney cancer is more common in men than women and among the non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native population. The rate of new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer was 17.5 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2018–2022 cases, age-adjusted.
Rate of New Cases per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Males
All Races
23.8
Hispanic
24.6
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
39.2
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
12.1
Non-Hispanic Black
25.9
Non-Hispanic White
24.6
Females
All Races
12.0
Hispanic
14.4
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
20.2
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
5.7
Non-Hispanic Black
13.2
Non-Hispanic White
11.9
All Races
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic American Indian/ Alaska Native
Non-Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islander
Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic White
SEER 21 2018–2022, Age-Adjusted
Percent of New Cases by Age Group: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Age Range
Percent of New Cases
<20
0.9%
20–34
1.7%
35–44
5.9%
45–54
13.8%
55–64
25.9%
65–74
30.0%
75–84
16.8%
>84
5.1%
Kidney and renal pelvis cancer is most frequently diagnosed among people aged 65–74.
Median Age At Diagnosis
65
SEER 21 2018–2022, 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 3.4 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2019–2023 deaths, age-adjusted.
Death Rate per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Males
All Races
5.1
Hispanic
4.7
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
9.2
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
2.4
Non-Hispanic Black
4.9
Non-Hispanic White
5.3
Females
All Races
2.1
Hispanic
2.1
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
4.0
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
1.0
Non-Hispanic Black
2.1
Non-Hispanic White
2.2
All Races
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic American Indian/ Alaska Native
Non-Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islander
Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic White
U.S. 2019–2023, Age-Adjusted
Percent of Deaths by Age Group: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
Age Range
Percent of Deaths
<20
0.3%
20–34
0.5%
35–44
1.5%
45–54
6.1%
55–64
18.3%
65–74
29.4%
75–84
27.2%
>84
16.7%
The percent of kidney and renal pelvis cancer deaths is highest among people aged 65–74.
Median Age At Death
73
U.S. 2019–2023, All Races, Both Sexes
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 2013–2022. Age-adjusted death rates have been falling on average 1.4% each year over 2014–2023. 5-year relative survival trends are shown below.
New Cases, Deaths and 5-Year Relative Survival
Rate of New Cases
Death Rate
New cases come from SEER 8. 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. The 2020 incidence rate is displayed but not used in the fit of the trend line(s). Impact of COVID on SEER Cancer Incidence 2020 data
5-Year Relative Survival
SEER 8 5-Year Relative Survival Percent from 1975–2017, All Races, Both Sexes. Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Survival Model Software.
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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 sex, race, calendar year, age, and for a selected number of cancer sites, by stage and histology.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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 2025 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.
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Localized (66%)
Regional (16%)
Distant (15%)
Unknown (3%)
