A review of the role of steroid hormone receptors and hormonal dependence of renal cell carcinoma in certain patients is presented. The results of a cumulative series of estrogen, progesterone, and androgen receptor assays performed on 48 normal and malignant human renal tumor specimens are given. The detectable presence of receptor proteins in certain patients could obviate the empirical use of hormonal therapy, an issue that may be resolved through a randomized multiinstitutional trial.