This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by
Maurie Markman, MD, President, Medicine & Science at CTCA.
This page was updated on May 20, 2022.
Kidney tumors maybe be treated with a variety treatments and technologies, including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and interventional radiology.
Urologists (doctors who manage urinary tract conditions) and/or genitourinary medical oncologists (doctors who specialize in cancer) typically treat kidney tumors. These experts may use a variety of treatments and technologies, including those below.
Surgery is the first-line treatment for most renal cell carcinoma patients. Depending on the type and stage of the disease, a variety of procedures maybe be performed. Nearby fatty tissue may also be removed and tested for the presence of cancer. If kidney cancer has metastasized, your treatment team may combine surgery with targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Examples of surgical procedures used to treat kidney cancer include:
Although surgery is usually the treatment of choice for kidney cancer, some people may not be candidates, including those who are too sick and those who are opposed to the idea of surgery. Also, if the tumor is small enough, surgery may not be necessary to treat the cancer.
Interventional radiology allows doctors to visualize tumors in the kidneys and perform real-time image-guided interventional procedures, including cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation, which are designed to destroy tissue using extreme temperatures.
Cryoablation essentially freezes the kidney cancer cells to death. Your doctor inserts a needle into the tumor and passes cold gasses through it, creating an “ice ball” that destroys the tumor.
Radiofrequency ablation employs high-energy radio waves to heat the kidney tumor via a needle that’s guided by ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan.
This type of cancer treatment uses high-dose X-ray energy to kill cancer cells. With kidney cancer, radiation is often used to relieve pain and other symptoms.
Sometimes, medications are also part of a kidney cancer treatment plan. They may be used alone or in combination with each other or other modalities.
Chemotherapy may be recommended for patients diagnosed with renal sarcoma, which is an extremely rare form of kidney cancer. Chemotherapy may be administered via:
These drugs work by killing all fast-growing cells in the body, including cancer cells. Other fast-growing cells such as hair cells are often collateral damage. Chemotherapy is not often the first choice of systemic therapy for kidney cancer, though, because this cancer typically doesn’t respond well to it. Chemotherapy may be tried if targeted therapy or immunotherapy doesn’t work.
Targeted therapy is designed to identify receptors and proteins unique to specific cancer cells. Once attached to the targeted cancer cells, these drugs kill the cells or help other therapies, such as chemotherapy, work better. Among the drugs used in targeted therapy for kidney cancer are angiogenesis inhibitors, which starve cancers by cutting off their blood supply, and/or tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which target specific enzymes that help regulate cell growth. Targeted drugs may be used to treat advanced kidney cancers. While they may shrink or slow the growth of certain tumors, these drugs are not considered cures for kidney cancer. One targeted medication, Sutent (sunitinib), is sometimes used after surgery to help reduce the risk of kidney cancer returning.
Immunotherapy is an innovative treatment option for advanced cancers, including kidney cancer that has metastasized. Two types of immunotherapy are used to treat kidney cancer:
When it comes to creating a treatment plan, it’s important to stay informed. Before beginning treatment, the American Cancer Society recommends asking your care team the following questions: