The outcomes of surgical treatment of kidney cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma, RCC) depend not only on cancer-specific survival but also on postoperative renal function, which may be impaired due to pre-existing comorbidities or develop after surgery, particularly following radical nephrectomy. Early detection and prevention of renal dysfunction progression in patients with RCC remain important issues in modern oncology and nephrology. This literature review aimed to assess the functional outcomes of surgical treatment for kidney cancer. A comprehensive analysis of publications indexed in PubMed, Elsevier, Springer, and eLIBRARY databases from 2018 to 2023 was performed. The reviewed studies demonstrate that many patients with RCC have concomitant chronic kidney disease, and renal malignancies themselves are associated with an increased risk of nephropathy. The findings indicate that nephron-sparing surgery provides superior preservation of renal function compared with radical nephrectomy, reduces the risk of postoperative renal impairment, and improves functional outcomes and quality of life. Therefore, organ-preserving surgical approaches should be preferred when oncologically appropriate.

Sergey V Popov has completed his PhD at the age of 44 years from S. M. Kirov Military Medical Academy, Russia. He is the head of the Clinical Hospital of St. Luke, Russia. He has over 365 publications that have been cited over 3222 times, and his publication h-index is 21. He combines administrative leadership, clinical expertise, and academic work, contributing significantly to the development of modern urology, oncourology and nephrology.