In order to obtain proton magnetic resonance spectra from the renal tumor in human kidney we performed localized magnetic resonance spectroscopy using a saddle-type flexible surface coil. Five patients biopsy-proven as renal cell carcinoma at different stages were put in supine/lateral position to minimize motion artifacts while acquiring the spectrum. Water-suppressed ¹H spectra were obtained with localized stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) (20/13.7/2200; TE/TM/TR) and point resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) (288/2200; TE/TR) sequences. The principal resonances in the tumor STEAM spectrum were sorbitol (3.85 ppm), trimethylamines (TMA) (3.25 ppm), two unidentified signals (2.8 and 2.2 ppm), and lipid (0.9-1.8 ppm). In the PRESS spectrum using a long echo time (288 ms), two well localized signals, TMA at 3.25 ppm and lactate at 1.35 ppm were observed from a patient with a tumor at advanced stage. Interestingly only TMA at 3.25 ppm was observed from the patient with a low grade tumor. The spectral patterns of the tumor patients were different from those of normal kidney.