The stage of kidney cancer depends on the size and location of the tumor. So, kidney cancer of the first stage is a tumor less than 7 cm that does not go beyond the kidney. Stage II is a less than 10 cm tumor and does not extend beyond the kidney. But stage III is a tumor of any size. Stage IV may be any size. However, at this stage, the tumor can either grow beyond the renal fascia or have more than one metastasis to nearby areas.