Minimally Invasive Procedure as Effective as Surgery for Small Kidney Cancers

Large Danish study finds ablation has faster recovery and fewer complications than surgery for stage T1a renal cell carcinoma.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A nationwide study in Denmark involving nearly 1,900 patients over almost a decade found that a minimally invasive procedure called ablation is as effective as surgery for treating small kidney cancers, with faster recovery and fewer complications. The research focused on patients with stage T1a renal cell carcinoma, a cancer that is increasingly found incidentally on CT scans.

Why it matters

As more small kidney cancers are detected incidentally, there is increasing pressure on healthcare systems to find effective treatment options. While surgical tumor resection is the standard of care, ablation has emerged as a less invasive alternative that could potentially reduce complications, hospital stays and costs.

The details

The study compared outcomes between patients treated with ablation and those treated with surgery. There was no evidence of a difference in the risk of cancer progression between the two groups. However, local recurrence of the disease was more frequent following ablation than resection and nephrectomy. Distant metastasis occurred more frequently in patients who underwent nephrectomy. Ablation patients had the shortest hospital stays and fewest 30-day post-treatment hospital contacts, suggesting fewer complications.

  • The study followed patients diagnosed with T1a renal cell carcinoma between January 2013 and December 2021.
  • Ablation was introduced in Denmark in 2006 and its use has steadily increased since then.

The players

Iben Lyskjær

Ph.D., M.Sc., associate professor at Aarhus University and Aarhus Hospital in Denmark, and lead author of the study.

Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

The journal Radiology, where the study results were published, is a journal of the RSNA.

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What they’re saying

“These incidental cancers are putting increasing pressure on health care systems. While early detection improves outcomes, it also raises the need for better risk stratification and treatment options.”

— Iben Lyskjær, Associate professor (Radiology)

“Although the local recurrence rate was slightly higher in the ablation group, tumors that recur can be successfully treated with another ablation or surgery. Importantly, patients in the study who had local recurrences did not have worse overall survival.”

— Iben Lyskjær, Associate professor (Radiology)

“Our study demonstrated that the overall progression rates were low across all treatment modalities, supporting the effectiveness of both ablation and resection for T1a renal cell carcinoma.”

— Iben Lyskjær, Associate professor (Radiology)

“The best choice depends not only on the patient's characteristics, but also on the patient's preferences. We should be showing patients data and asking the patients what kind of treatment they want.”

— Iben Lyskjær, Associate professor (Radiology)

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue studying the long-term outcomes of ablation and surgery for small kidney cancers to further inform treatment decisions.

The takeaway

This study provides evidence that a minimally invasive ablation procedure can be an effective alternative to surgery for small kidney cancers, offering faster recovery times and fewer complications, while still maintaining similar overall progression rates. This supports the need for shared decision-making between patients and providers to determine the best individualized treatment approach.