Secondary tumours of the kidney are becoming an increasingly frequent pathology due to the accurate follow-up and longer survival of cancer patients. The authors report three rare cases of renal metastasis from thyroid, lung and breast carcinoma. At present the definitive diagnosis is histopathologic, the treatment of choice is chemotherapeutic and conservative surgery must be performed in patients with single localisation in relation to neoplastic involvement. Selective embolic treatment may be indicated in patients with macrohematuria and oncological dissemination.