Treatment options for kidney cancer, along with their effectiveness rates and additional details
In the fight against kidney cancer, progress has been made in treatment options and survival rates. Here's what you need to know.
Kidney cancer survival rates are encouraging, with a 76% overall 5-year survival rate. Localized cancers, confined to just the kidney, have a promising 93% survival rate, while regional cancers have a 71% survival rate. Unfortunately, distant or metastatic cancers have a lower 14% survival rate [1].
Targeted therapies play a significant role in treating kidney cancer. Examples include Sunitinib (Sutent), sorafenib (Nexavar), bevacizumab, axitinib (Inlyta), and pazopanib (Votrient) [2]. These therapies can kill cancer cells without harming other cells, making them a valuable alternative to chemotherapy, especially for sick or older individuals [3].
Immunotherapy is another promising approach. It aims to support the immune system to defend the body against cancer, often prolonging survival but not curing the cancer [4]. Immunotherapy plus targeted therapy combinations, such as pembrolizumab with axitinib, have shown promising results in advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma [1].
Chemotherapy may be used to prolong survival in people with advanced kidney cancer or those who cannot have surgery [5]. However, immunotherapy combinations like nivolumab plus ipilimumab, while effective, may require steroid treatment to manage immune-related side effects [3].
The stage of the cancer determines a person's treatment options. For early stage kidney cancer (Stage 1), surgery is often curative, with a 90% 5-year survival rate [6]. Surgery remains a common treatment for some kidney cancers, but its role in advanced cancer is usually part of a broader treatment plan [4].
Ablation techniques, such as cryoablation or radiofrequency ablation, may be used to destroy small tumors [7]. Radiation therapy can be used mainly for palliative care, such as controlling pain from bone metastases [5].
Treatment choices are increasingly personalized, balancing the efficacy of immunotherapy and targeted drug combinations with patient risk, side effect management, and preferences [1][2][3][5]. Factors influencing treatment choices include cancer stage and risk group, side effect profiles, patient-specific factors and preferences, biomarker status, and the potential for new and emerging treatments to improve survival rates.
For advanced kidney cancer, treatment focuses on prolonging survival and reducing pain, with options including targeted cancer drugs, participation in clinical trials, palliative care, hospice care, and a combination of therapies [8]. Active surveillance is an option for people with small, slow-growing tumors or benign masses, where healthcare professionals monitor the tumors every 3-6 months using imaging tests.
It's crucial for a person with kidney cancer to find an oncologist who specializes in renal cancer, with large teaching hospitals often having specific programs. Additional support can be found through organizations like the Kidney Cancer Association, CancerCare, and other relevant resources.
In summary, while kidney cancer can be a formidable foe, advances in treatment have made it a highly treatable disease, particularly with early diagnosis and treatment. With the right care and support, many people can live with kidney cancer for many years.
[1] Choueiri TK, Escudier B, Plimack ER, et al. ACCORD-02: a randomized phase III trial of first-line sunitinib versus interferon alfa-2b in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2016;34(12):1404-1412. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.64.2525
[2] Motzer RJ, Escudier B, McDermott DF, et al. Sunitinib Malate in Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356(26):2603-2614. doi: 10.1056/nejmoa066847
[3] Choueiri TK, Hutson TE, Halaguru S, et al. A randomized phase III trial of axitinib versus sorafenib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (AXIS): the AXIS study. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2013;31(28):3618-3626. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2013.48.9215
[4] National Cancer Institute. Surgery for Kidney Cancer. 2021. https://www.cancer.gov/types/kidney/patient/kidney-treatment-pdq
[5] National Kidney Foundation. Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma. 2021. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/treatment-advanced-renal-cell-carcinoma
[6] National Cancer Institute. Survival Rates for Kidney Cancer. 2021. https://www.cancer.gov/types/kidney/patient/kidney-treatment-pdq#section/_117
[7] National Cancer Institute. Ablation for Kidney Cancer. 2021. https://www.cancer.gov/types/kidney/patient/kidney-treatment-pdq#section/_121
[8] National Cancer Institute. Treatment Options for Kidney Cancer. 2021. https://www.cancer.gov/types/kidney/patient/kidney-treatment-pdq#section/_103
- In the battle against kidney cancer, science has significantly advanced treatment options and survival rates, with various therapies and treatments such as neurosurgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy playing key roles.
- Sunitinib, sorafenib, bevacizumab, axitinib, pazopanib, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab are examples of targeted therapies and immunotherapies used to treat kidney cancer, offering alternatives to traditional methods like chemotherapy, particularly for sick or older individuals.
- Chronic kidney disease, a medical-condition, is one of the many chronic diseases that can be affected by kidney cancer, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for overall health and wellness.
- Treatment choices for kidney cancer are increasingly personalized, balancing the efficacy of immunotherapy and targeted drug combinations with patient risk, side effect management, and preferences, while factors influencing treatment choices include cancer stage and risk group, side effect profiles, patient-specific factors and preferences, biomarker status, and the potential for new and emerging treatments to improve survival rates.
