The treatment for kidney cancer depends on the size of the cancer and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
The main treatments are:
- surgery to remove part or all of the affected kidney – this the main treatment for most people
- ablation therapies – where the cancer cells are destroyed by freezing or heating them
- targeted therapies (also called biological therapies) – medicines that help stop the cancer growing or spreading
- embolisation – a procedure to cut off the blood supply to the cancer
- radiotherapy – where high-energy radiation is used to target cancer cells and relieve symptoms
Cancer that hasn't spread out of the kidney can usually be cured by having an operation to remove some or all of the kidney. Sometimes cryotherapy or radiofrequency ablation may be used instead.
A complete cure may not be possible if the cancer has spread, but it may be possible to slow its progression and treat any symptoms with surgery, medication and/or radiotherapy.
Surgery
There are two main types of surgery for kidney cancer:
- an operation to just remove the part of the kidney containing the cancer – called a partial nephrectomy
- an operation to remove the entire affected kidney – called a radical nephrectomy
A partial nephrectomy is usually done if the cancer is small and easy for the surgeon to get to. A radical nephrectomy may be necessary for larger cancers or if the cancer has spread beyond the kidney.
It's possible to live a normal life with only one kidney. Your other kidney can usually make up for the kidney that was removed.
Surgery for kidney cancer can be done in two ways:
- through a single large incision cut in the tummy or back – known as "open" surgery
- using surgical tools inserted through smaller cuts – known as laparoscopic or "keyhole" surgery
Keyhole surgery tends to have a faster recovery time, but can only be done by trained surgeons and it isn't always suitable. Talk to your surgeon about the pros and cons of each method.
Ablation therapies
Ablation therapies are treatments that destroy cancer cells by either:
- freezing them (cryotherapy)
- heating them (radiofrequency ablation)
Either technique may be recommended in special circumstances (for example, to ensure your kidney keeps working), or if your tumour is small. Both treatments are only available in specialist centres, so you may need to travel to another hospital to have it done.
Radiofreqency ablation is done by inserting a needle-like probe through your skin, so no large cuts are needed.
Cryotherapy is done using needles inserted into the tumour. This can be done through your skin (percutaneous cryotherapy) or through a small incision (laparoscopic cryotherapy).
Side effects of ablation therapies can include bleeding around the kidney and damage to the tube that carries pee from the kidney to the bladder (the ureter).
Targeted therapies
If your cancer is advanced, you may be offered targeted therapies (also called biological therapies). These are medicines, usually taken once or twice a day, that help stop the cancer growing and spreading.
There are many different biological therapies, including:
- sunitinib
- pazopanib
- cabozantinib
- nivolumab
- tivozanib
Sometimes 2 targeted therapies are given in combination
Some targeted therapies are recommended for routine use on the NHS
Other medicines are not currently recommended for routine use, but may be available through the Cancer Drugs Fund
Read more about the Cancer Drugs Fund from Cancer Research
Most targeted therapies are taken as tablets. Some, such as nivolumab, are given by a drip directly into the vein.
Possible side effects depend on which medicine you're taking
They can include:
Embolisation
Embolisation is a procedure to block off the blood supply to the tumour, causing it to shrink.
It's sometimes recommended if you have advanced kidney cancer and you're not in good enough health to have surgery to remove the affected kidney.
During embolisation, the surgeon will insert a small tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in your groin and then guide it to the blood vessel supplying the tumour.
A substance will be injected through the catheter to block the blood vessel.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a treatment where radiation is used to target or destroy cancerous cells. It can't usually cure kidney cancer, but it can slow down its spread and help control your symptoms.
It may be recommended if you have advanced kidney cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as your bones or brain.
Radiotherapy uses a large machine to carefully direct beams of radiation at the cancerous cells. It's often done for a few minutes every day, over a few weeks.
Side effects of radiotherapy can include:
- tiredness
- feeling and being sick
- diarrhoea
- reddening of the skin in the treatment area