Follow-up after partial or total nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma.

Salvage therapy is not readily available to patients with recurrent renal cell carcinoma. Selected solitary metastases may be resected, a tumor on the contralateral kidney may be excised, or the patient may be amenable to systemic biologic response modifier therapy. More commonly, only palliative therapy is available, and follow-up is tailored with the former considerations in mind. Early investigation of symptoms may minimize later morbidity from metastases to the brain or bone. A proposed follow-up schedule is presented.