BOSTON -- A Boston hospital is offering a new laparoscopic procedure to kidney cancer patients. One man said the procedure has given him a new lease on life.

"It just so happened the blood was coming from the left kidney, and in doing the MRI, by serendipity, they discovered the tumor in the right kidney, which was very lucky in my case," said Bob Therrien.

NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported that Therrien, 77, was diagnosed with kidney cancer this past winter. That's when he decided to try a new type of kidney surgery.

"I knew this was available, but only for skilled surgeons," he said.

The procedure, called laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, allows doctors to remove the cancer, but keep the kidney.

"We've worked out techniques to be able to just remove the kidney and a small bit of the normal kidney around it to make sure we get all of the tumor out, and preserved over 90 percent of the kidney function and cure the cancer," said Dr. Douglas Dahl, of Massachusetts General Hospital.

The laparoscopic procedure is less invasive than more standard kidney surgeries, but it's not for everyone, doctors said.

According to doctors, ideal candidates for the procedure would have kidney tumors that are 4 centimeters or smaller in diameter. Doctors must also evaluate the location of the tumor to decide if it can be safely removed. For patients who don't qualify, there are other nonsurgical options.

For those who do have the laparoscopic surgery, they typically have shorter recovery times.

"It's, for many patients, it's similar to having a gallbladder removed, where they're up and around the same night after the surgery, feeling pretty comfortable. And most patients are able to go home from the hospital after two nights in the hospital," Dahl said.

Therrien said he appreciated the shorter hospital stay. But for him, Dahl and his laparoscopic expertise had an even greater benefit.

"Time. He's a time-maker and he gave me time to spend with my loved ones," Therrien said.

The cancer isn't any more likely to reoccur after the partial removal of the kidney than it is after the total removal, doctors said. But as with any major surgery, there are risks. Main risks include bleeding and the need to remove the kidney.