Kidney-injury-molecule-1 (KIM-1) can be detected in the urine and blood and is generally present at low levels in healthy individuals. In a new study, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital explored whether a blood test can detect higher concentrations of KIM-1 in patients who will go on to develop kidney cancer up to five years later. Their results show that KIM-1 substantially helped distinguish between those who went on to develop kidney cancer from those who did not. Early detection of kidney cancer can be lifesaving. We can cure kidney cancer when we detect it at an early stage, but