Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare type of kidney cancer. It’s a subtype of renal cell carcinoma — the most common kind of kidney cancer. Each RCC subtype behaves a little differently and may respond better to certain treatments. Compared to other types, chromophobe RCC tends to grow more slowly, is often found earlier, and usually has a better prognosis (expected outcome).

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with chromophobe RCC, read on for more details about symptoms, treatment options, and prognosis.

What Is Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma?

RCC accounts for about 90 percent of all kidney cancers. Chromophobe RCC is the third most common subtype, making up about 5 percent to 7 percent of cases. The most common subtype is called clear cell RCC.

Chromophobe RCC usually begins in cells that line the kidney tubules — tiny tubes that help filter and clean the blood. This cancer can happen when one of those cells develops a genetic mutation (change in DNA) that causes it to grow and divide out of control.

Read more about the function of kidney tubules.

Symptoms of Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma

Chromophobe RCC is often diagnosed at an earlier stage than other types of kidney cancer, so most people don’t have any symptoms when it’s first discovered. Often, the cancer is found during tests for another health issue, such as an imaging test. When symptoms do develop, they may include flank pain (in the sides or lower back) or blood in the urine.

Advanced Symptoms

Although it’s rare, additional symptoms can appear if chromophobe RCC progresses to a more advanced stage or spreads to other parts of the body, a process called metastasis. Symptoms of advanced chromophobe RCC may include:

• A lump or mass in your side or lower back
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever
• Swelling in your legs and feet
• Coughing
• Bone pain

Risk Factors for Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma

People with chromophobe RCC may be diagnosed at a younger age than those with other types of kidney cancer. Most people with kidney cancer are diagnosed between the ages of 65 and 74. In a 2024 study, the median age of people diagnosed with chromophobe RCC was almost 50 — half of those diagnosed were younger than 50, and half were older.

People with some types of inherited disorders may have a higher risk of chromophobe RCC. For example, Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that can lead to chromophobe RCC and other types of kidney cancer, often at a younger age.

Sex also plays a role in risk. In general, men are about twice as likely as women to develop RCC, according to the American Cancer Society. However, a 2021 study in Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology reported that chromophobe RCC tends to occur more in females.

Risk Factors

Chromophobe RCC shares several risk factors with other types of kidney cancer, including:

• Smoking
• High body weight
• High blood pressure
• Family history of kidney cancer

Diagnosis of Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma

People with chromophobe RCC typically undergo tests used to diagnose other types of kidney cancer. These tests may include:

• Physical exam
• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Imaging tests

Determining the Type of Kidney Cancer

Imaging tests alone can’t confirm if kidney cancer is chromophobe RCC. To find out the exact type, doctors need a tissue sample from the kidney tumor. Some people may have a kidney biopsy, in which a doctor uses a long, thin needle to take a small piece of the tumor for testing. More often, however, doctors examine cancer cells removed during surgery.

A pathologist (a doctor who studies cells under a microscope) will look at the tumor cells to identify the type of RCC. Chromophobe RCC cells look different from other types of renal cell cancer. They’re usually larger and darker than the cells seen in clear cell RCC.

Treatment of Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma

There isn’t currently a standard treatment for this rare RCC subtype. Treatment options for chromophobe RCC are typically based on the cancer stage, a person’s overall health, and personal preferences.

Early-Stage Treatments

As with other types of kidney cancer, surgery is the main treatment for early-stage chromophobe RCC, when the cancer hasn’t spread beyond the kidneys.

People with smaller kidney tumors may be able to have a partial nephrectomy, in which only the part of the kidney with cancer is removed. For larger tumors or those in hard-to-reach areas, a radical nephrectomy — removing the entire affected kidney — may be needed. Nearby lymph nodes may also be removed if there’s concern that the cancer has spread.

If surgery isn’t an option, ablation treatments, such as cryotherapy (freezing the tumor) or radiofrequency ablation (using heat to destroy cancer cells), may be used to destroy the kidney tumor.

In other types of RCC, doctors sometimes use immunotherapy after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer returning. However, chromophobe RCC usually doesn’t respond well to these drugs, so immunotherapy treatment isn’t currently recommended after surgery to treat this type of kidney cancer.

Advanced-Stage Treatments

No drugs are specifically approved to treat advanced chromophobe RCC that’s spread beyond the kidneys. However, in clinical trials (studies that test therapies’ safety and effectiveness in humans), some newer targeted therapies have shown promise. Targeted therapies work by blocking specific signals cancer cells use to grow and divide.

Other treatments that can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life include:

• Radiation therapy
• Ablation therapy
• Pain management

Because chromophobe RCC is rare, fewer clinical trials have been done compared to other types of kidney cancer. If you’ve been diagnosed with chromophobe RCC, talk with your oncology team about whether joining a clinical trial may be an option for you.

Prognosis With Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma

People with chromophobe RCC tend to have a better prognosis than those with other types of RCC. One reason may be that chromophobe RCC is often diagnosed early, when the cancer is still localized (limited to the kidney).

When kidney cancer is found in the early stages, about 93 percent of people live at least five years after diagnosis. This statistic, called the five-year relative survival rate, reflects the percentage of people diagnosed with chromophobe RCC who are still alive five years later, compared to people in the general population who don’t have the disease.

Chromophobe RCC is also less likely to progress to advanced or metastatic RCC. Only up to 10 percent of people with chromophobe RCC will develop metastasis. If the cancer does spread, it may be more likely than other RCC types to go to the liver.

No matter your prognosis, it’s normal to feel anxious or overwhelmed after your chromophobe RCC diagnosis. Talking with loved ones, meeting with a counselor, or joining a kidney cancer support group can help you feel more supported during treatment and recovery.

Learn more about how kidney cancer support groups can help.

Find Your Team

On MyKidneyCancerTeam, the social network for people living with kidney cancer and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with kidney cancer.

Have you been diagnosed with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma? What advice do you have for others diagnosed with this rare type of kidney cancer? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.