BACKGROUND: Percutaneous cryoablation is widely used for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. We prospectively evaluated the oncologic outcomes and safety of percutaneous cryoablation for the treatment of tumors ≤ 4 cm in diameter. METHODS: We included patients aged ≥ 20 years, who had histologically proven renal cell carcinoma, tumor diameter ≤ 4 cm, a performance status of ≤ 1, acceptable laboratory parameters, were inoperable or refused to undergo surgery, and had signed a written informed consent. The primary endpoint was the cause-specific survival rate. The secondary endpoints were overall and progression-free survival, and adverse event frequency and grade. All procedures were percutaneously performed under computed tomography fluoroscopy guidance. RESULTS: From October 2013 to October 2015, 33 patients (mean age: 68 ± 14 years; sex: six women, 27 men) were enrolled. The mean tumor diameter was 2.1 ± 0.6 (range 1.0-3.4) cm. The median follow-up period was 60.1 (range 18.4-76.6) months. One patient died of non-renal cell carcinoma-related disease 46 months after percutaneous cryoablation. The cause-specific and overall survival rates were 100% and 96.8% at 3 years, and 100% and 96.8% at 5 years, respectively. There was no local tumor progression or distant metastasis. The incidence of severe urological (urinary fistula and perinephric infection) and non-urological adverse events (increased creatine kinase and skin ulceration) was 6% each. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous cryoablation for renal cell carcinoma ≤ 4 cm in diameter achieved good tumor control with a low complication frequency.