Kidney Cancer Research Network of Canada (KCRNC) consensus statement on the role of renal mass biopsy in the management of kidney cancer

The pervasive use of diagnostic imaging has led to an increase in the incidental detection of small renal masses.1–4 The assessment and management of a patient with a renal mass should vary based on mass characteristics and on the individual patient’s health and personal preferences. Renal mass biopsy is a diagnostic test used to obtain tissue from a suspicious mass in the kidney. Several patient factors and mass characteristics should be considered to determine when a biopsy is a useful test for a patient. Recently, there have been a number of published series on renal mass biopsy that discuss which patient populations benefit from this diagnostic test.5–7 The objectives of this consensus statement are: 1) to review and synthesize the evidence on renal mass biopsy; and 2) to highlight important concepts and provide guidance regarding the role of renal mass biopsy. The statements contained in this report were based on the best available evidence and developed by expert consensus. It is expected that these statements will be used to guide care in Canada and that some variability in practice will exist for individual patients and regional practice variation. The scientific literature available for this consensus statement was of low-to-moderate-quality. The evidence reported on renal mass biopsy is predominantly comprised of retrospective cohort series of patients managed at high-volume centers.5–7 Recently, a systematic review and meta-analysis of renal mass biopsy was published, which summarizes the best available evidence on the diagnostic ability and safety of this test.7