Twenty-one renal cell carcinomas were analyzed for the presence of androgen progestin and estrogen receptors by agar gel electrophoresis and a dextran-coated charcoal assay. An androgen receptor could be demonstrated in 3 tumors, a progestin or estrogen receptor was not detectable. It was therefore concluded that renal cell carcinoma is generally not a hormone-dependent tumor, and a hormonal treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma as first-line therapy does not seem to be justified.