Partial nephrectomy (the removal of part of a kidney or a kidney tumour) is the gold standard surgical treatment for early kidney cancer because it preserves kidney function.

Surgical approaches for nephrectomy include open nephrectomy (an invasive procedure that involves a large surgical incision, or cut into the skin), laparoscopic nephrectomy (a minimally invasive procedure that involves several smaller incisions and the use of smaller surgical tools), and robotic-assisted nephrectomy (a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of a robotic system operated by the surgeon). Laparoscopic nephrectomy is most often used for radical nephrectomy (the removal of an entire kidney), whereas robotic-assisted nephrectomy is most often used for partial nephrectomy. Although robotic-assisted nephrectomy is increasingly being adopted, whether it offers benefits over conventional surgical procedures remains unclear.

This health technology assessment looked at how safe, effective, and cost-effective robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy is for adults with kidney cancer. It also looked at the budget impact of publicly funding robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy and at the experiences, preferences, and values of people with kidney cancer, as well as those of surgeons who perform nephrectomy.