Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer, also known as renal cell carcinoma (RCC), originates in the kidneys, which filter blood and produce urine. It ranks among the top ten most common cancers in both men and women. The majority of kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas, with clear cell RCC being the most common subtype. Other, less common subtypes include papillary, chromophobe, and collecting duct carcinomas. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, genetic conditions (such as von Hippel-Lindau disease), and long-term dialysis.

Kidney cancer is often detected incidentally through imaging for unrelated conditions. Symptoms, if present, may include blood in the urine, persistent pain in the side, or a palpable mass in the abdomen.

Common Therapies for Kidney Cancer

Treatment depends on the stage and subtype of cancer, as well as the patient’s overall health:

1. Surgery

   • Partial nephrectomy: Removal of the tumor while preserving kidney function

   • Radical nephrectomy: Complete removal of the affected kidney (used for larger or more invasive tumors)

   
   

2. Targeted Therapy

   These drugs block specific pathways that tumor cells use to grow and spread:

   • Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs): Sunitinib, Pazopanib, Axitinib, Cabozantinib (Sutent, Votrient, Inlyta, Cabometyx)

   • mTOR inhibitors: Everolimus, Temsirolimus (Afinitor, Torisel)

   • VEGF inhibitors: Bevacizumab (used with interferon-alfa)

   
   

3. Immunotherapy Boosts the body’s immune response against cancer cells:

   • Checkpoint inhibitors: Nivolumab (PD-1 inhibitor), Ipilimumab (CTLA-4 inhibitor, Yervoy)

   • Often used in combination (e.g., Nivolumab + Ipilimumab) for advanced RCC

   • Other combinations include immunotherapy plus TKIs (e.g., Pembrolizumab + Axitinib)

     
     

4. Ablative Therapies (for small tumors or patients not suitable for surgery)

   • Cryoablation: Freezing the tumor

   • Radiofrequency ablation: Using heat to destroy cancer cells

   
   

5. Radiation Therapy Not commonly used for primary kidney tumors but may help control pain or symptoms in metastatic sites.

   
   

Kidney cancer tends to be resistant to traditional chemotherapy, so treatment has shifted strongly toward targeted and immune-based therapies, especially for advanced or metastatic disease.