Some kidney cancer patients may be overtreated, a University of Michigan study finds. Most patients have the affected kidney removed, despite organ-sparing surgery option, the report said. A less aggressive type of surgery designed to spare healthy organ tissue is used infrequently to treat early-stage kidney cancer, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. A majority of patients with small kidney tumors have their entire kidney removed as treatment, even though they may be eligible for a type of surgery that removes only the cancer and spares the rest of the kidney, researchers say. This surgery, called partial nephrectomy, has been associated with improved quality of life and better preservation of long-term kidney function. Studies have shown that for tumors smaller than 4 centimeters, removing only the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue is just as effective at controlling the cancer as removing the entire kidney. © Copyright 2006 by United Press International

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