Together, you and your treatment team will discuss your treatment options for kidney cancer. The best approach for you may depend on a number of factors, including general health status, type of kidney cancer that has, if the cancer has spread and treatment preferences.
Surgery
Surgery is the initial treatment for most cancers of the kidney. The surgical procedures used to treat kidney cancer include:
The removal of the affected kidney (nephrectomy). Radical nephrectomy involves removing the kidney, a border of healthy tissue and adjacent lymph nodes. The adrenal glands can also be removed if it turns out that the tumor has grown in the gland. Nephrectomy may be an open surgery, which means that the surgeon makes an incision to access your kidneys. Or nephrectomy can be done laparoscopically through several small incisions to insert a small video camera and surgical instruments. The surgeon watches a video monitor to perform a nephrectomy.
Removal of the tumor in the kidney (nephron-sparing surgery). During this procedure, called partial nephrectomy, the surgeon removes the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue around it, rather than removing the entire kidney. Nephron-sparing surgery may be an open, or it can be done laparoscopically. Nephron-sparing surgery may be an option if you have a small kidney cancer, or if you have only one kidney. When nephron-sparing surgery is possible, it is best to keep it as radical nephrectomy kidney tissue as possible can reduce your risk of complications later as kidney disease.
The type of surgery your doctor recommends will be based on your cancer and its stage and your health. Surgery carries a risk of bleeding and infection.
Treatment when surgery is not possible
For some people, surgery may be too risky. These people have other options to treat kidney cancer, including:
By blocking the flow of blood to the tumor (embolization). In this procedure, a special material is injected into the main blood vessel leading to the kidneys. Block this ship will take the tumor of oxygen and other nutrients. Arterial embolization can also be used before surgery or to relieve pain and bleeding is not possible.
Treatment for freezing the cancer cells (cryosurgery). During cryoablation, a special needle is inserted into the skin and into your kidney tumor with X-ray guidance. Gas needle is used to cool or freeze the cancerous cells. There are few long-term data on safety and efficacy of cryoablation. This is typically reserved for people who can not undergo major surgery and people with small kidney tumors in areas that can be easily reached with a needle.
Treating cancer cells to heat (radiofrequency ablation). During radiofrequency ablation is a special needle through the skin and into your kidney tumors using X-ray guidance. An electric current passes through the needle and in cancer cells, causing the cells to heat or burning. There are few long-term data on safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation. Radiofrequency ablation may be an option for people who can not undergo further surgery, and those with small kidney tumors in areas easily accessible with a needle.
The treatments for advanced kidney cancer and recurrent
Kidney cancer that is repeated and the kidney cancer that spread to other parts of the body can heal. In these situations, treatment may include:
Surgery to remove a kidney tumor as possible. Even if surgery can not remove all the cancer, in some cases it may be useful to remove the cancer as possible.
Drugs that use your immune system to fight cancer (biologic therapy). Biological therapy (immunotherapy) uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. Drugs in this category include interferon and interleukin-2, which are synthetic versions of chemicals produced in your body. Side effects of these drugs include chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
The treatment is performed on specific aspects of your cancer (targeted therapy). Targeted therapies specific block abnormal signals present in the cells of kidney cancer, allowing them to multiply. These drugs have shown promising results in the treatment of kidney cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. The targeted drugs bevacizumab (Avastin), pazopanib (Votrient), the signals sorafenib (Nexavar) and sunitinib block (Sutent), which play a role in the growth of blood vessels that feed cancer cells and allow cancer cells to spread. Temsirolimus (Torisel) and everolimus (everolimus) is targeted drug that blocks a signal that allows cancer cells to grow and survive. Targeted therapy drugs can cause side effects such as rash, which may be severe, diarrhea and fatigue.
Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is not commonly used to treat renal cell carcinoma. However, chemotherapy can be used to treat transitional cell carcinoma - a cancer of the urethra, which sometimes begins in the kidneys. Chemotherapy can be used before surgery to shrink the tumor, making it easier to remove. Or you may use chemotherapy to treat cancer cells that have traveled to other parts of the body.
Treatments for distant tumors. The kidney cancer cells that travel to other parts of the body (metastasis) can sometimes be treated. It depends on the number of the location of tumors at a distance and your overall health. Treatment options vary depending on where the cancer has spread. Options might include surgery of brain metastases or radiation therapy for kidney cancer that has spread to the bones.
Clinical studies. Clinical trials are studies of new treatments and new techniques to treat kidney cancer and other diseases. Participation in a clinical trial can give you the opportunity to try the latest treatments, but does not guarantee a cure. Available to discuss clinical trials with your doctor and carefully weigh the benefits and risks. Some types of kidney cancer in clinical trials studying new and existing therapies aimed to determine the best ways to use this new class of drugs.
Surgery
Surgery is the initial treatment for most cancers of the kidney. The surgical procedures used to treat kidney cancer include:
The removal of the affected kidney (nephrectomy). Radical nephrectomy involves removing the kidney, a border of healthy tissue and adjacent lymph nodes. The adrenal glands can also be removed if it turns out that the tumor has grown in the gland. Nephrectomy may be an open surgery, which means that the surgeon makes an incision to access your kidneys. Or nephrectomy can be done laparoscopically through several small incisions to insert a small video camera and surgical instruments. The surgeon watches a video monitor to perform a nephrectomy.
Removal of the tumor in the kidney (nephron-sparing surgery). During this procedure, called partial nephrectomy, the surgeon removes the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue around it, rather than removing the entire kidney. Nephron-sparing surgery may be an open, or it can be done laparoscopically. Nephron-sparing surgery may be an option if you have a small kidney cancer, or if you have only one kidney. When nephron-sparing surgery is possible, it is best to keep it as radical nephrectomy kidney tissue as possible can reduce your risk of complications later as kidney disease.
The type of surgery your doctor recommends will be based on your cancer and its stage and your health. Surgery carries a risk of bleeding and infection.
Treatment when surgery is not possible
For some people, surgery may be too risky. These people have other options to treat kidney cancer, including:
By blocking the flow of blood to the tumor (embolization). In this procedure, a special material is injected into the main blood vessel leading to the kidneys. Block this ship will take the tumor of oxygen and other nutrients. Arterial embolization can also be used before surgery or to relieve pain and bleeding is not possible.
Treatment for freezing the cancer cells (cryosurgery). During cryoablation, a special needle is inserted into the skin and into your kidney tumor with X-ray guidance. Gas needle is used to cool or freeze the cancerous cells. There are few long-term data on safety and efficacy of cryoablation. This is typically reserved for people who can not undergo major surgery and people with small kidney tumors in areas that can be easily reached with a needle.
Treating cancer cells to heat (radiofrequency ablation). During radiofrequency ablation is a special needle through the skin and into your kidney tumors using X-ray guidance. An electric current passes through the needle and in cancer cells, causing the cells to heat or burning. There are few long-term data on safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation. Radiofrequency ablation may be an option for people who can not undergo further surgery, and those with small kidney tumors in areas easily accessible with a needle.
The treatments for advanced kidney cancer and recurrent
Kidney cancer that is repeated and the kidney cancer that spread to other parts of the body can heal. In these situations, treatment may include:
Surgery to remove a kidney tumor as possible. Even if surgery can not remove all the cancer, in some cases it may be useful to remove the cancer as possible.
Drugs that use your immune system to fight cancer (biologic therapy). Biological therapy (immunotherapy) uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. Drugs in this category include interferon and interleukin-2, which are synthetic versions of chemicals produced in your body. Side effects of these drugs include chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
The treatment is performed on specific aspects of your cancer (targeted therapy). Targeted therapies specific block abnormal signals present in the cells of kidney cancer, allowing them to multiply. These drugs have shown promising results in the treatment of kidney cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. The targeted drugs bevacizumab (Avastin), pazopanib (Votrient), the signals sorafenib (Nexavar) and sunitinib block (Sutent), which play a role in the growth of blood vessels that feed cancer cells and allow cancer cells to spread. Temsirolimus (Torisel) and everolimus (everolimus) is targeted drug that blocks a signal that allows cancer cells to grow and survive. Targeted therapy drugs can cause side effects such as rash, which may be severe, diarrhea and fatigue.
Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is not commonly used to treat renal cell carcinoma. However, chemotherapy can be used to treat transitional cell carcinoma - a cancer of the urethra, which sometimes begins in the kidneys. Chemotherapy can be used before surgery to shrink the tumor, making it easier to remove. Or you may use chemotherapy to treat cancer cells that have traveled to other parts of the body.
Treatments for distant tumors. The kidney cancer cells that travel to other parts of the body (metastasis) can sometimes be treated. It depends on the number of the location of tumors at a distance and your overall health. Treatment options vary depending on where the cancer has spread. Options might include surgery of brain metastases or radiation therapy for kidney cancer that has spread to the bones.
Clinical studies. Clinical trials are studies of new treatments and new techniques to treat kidney cancer and other diseases. Participation in a clinical trial can give you the opportunity to try the latest treatments, but does not guarantee a cure. Available to discuss clinical trials with your doctor and carefully weigh the benefits and risks. Some types of kidney cancer in clinical trials studying new and existing therapies aimed to determine the best ways to use this new class of drugs.
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