Can you live with benign tumors on the kidneys?

Most benign kidney tumors require no treatment other than active surveillance and do not affect daily activities, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. In cases where benign kidney tumors cause symptoms or continue to grow, surgery may be needed.

Common types of benign kidney tumors include renal adenoma, which is the smallest type, oncocytoma, which often appears in multiple places on the kidneys, and angiomyolipoma, which can cause internal bleeding. Despite the low risks associated with benign kidney tumors, these tumors are often found in people with renal cell carcinoma, states the Canadian Cancer Society. These tumors are indistinguishable from cancer on imaging tests.