Bilateral renal cell carcinoma, malignant tumors of a solitary kidney or renal carcinoma in the presence of a contralateral kidney with compromised function may be treated by simple enucleation of the tumor, usually pseudoencapsulated, permitting relatively avascular removal. We treated 5 such patients by surgical enucleation of renal cell carcinoma who have survived for intervals of 9 months to 5 years without evidence of recurrent local or metastic disease. The simplicity of the technique offers several advantages, primarily those of applicability to lesions of any portion of the kidney and the minimal disturbance of renal hemodynamics and renal function.