What does “mass in the left kidney” mean?
Disease description:
Recently, I have experienced persistent dull pain in my left kidney area. After undergoing an examination, the result indicated a “left renal mass.” Could you please explain what “left renal mass” means?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhao Xinju
A space-occupying lesion in the left kidney indicates an abnormal growth within the left kidney. This may include a left renal cyst—either solitary or multiple, and varying in size. If such a cyst does not impair renal function, no intervention is typically required. Other possibilities include renal hamartoma (e.g., angiomyolipoma), resulting from abnormal embryonic development; malignant renal tumors, such as renal cell carcinoma or other types of kidney cancer; or other pathological masses—for instance, a renal abscess. To definitively diagnose a malignant tumor, a biopsy with histopathological examination is essential.
