How will I know I have kidney cancer?

You won’t know if you have kidney cancer until your doctor has talked to you, completed an examination and done some tests.

The tests might include:

  • a physical examination
  • a blood test
  • checking a sample of your pee
  • an ultrasound, a CT scan or an MRI scan to see what your insides look like
  • an intravenous pyelogram, or IVP, which means you have an injection of a special dye while you have an X-ray of your kidneys.

Most people who have these tests find out they don’t have cancer. But it’s really important to check.