Types of Kidney Cancer: Know the Differences & Treatment Options

What is Kidney Cancer?

Kidney cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the kidney’s tissue. Cancer usually develops when something triggers a change in the cells, and they start to divide out of control. Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, situated on either side of the spine. These organs are supposed to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood, producing urine. When these cells in the kidneys begin to grow uncontrollably, kidney cancer starts to develop.

Here are few things to keep in mind, including:

About 90% of kidney cancers are commonly known as renal cell carcinoma. The specific subtype of RCC, as well as how far the cancer has spread (its stage), and the patient’s overall health condition influence various treatment decisions and their treatment outcomes.

Treatment options and how they depend on Type/ Stage

Understanding the type (subtype) and stage of how far these diseases have started to spread is considered crucial to choosing the treatments. There are some of the treatment options which are often used depending on the type and stage. 

Here’s how they fit in:

Surgery

Surgery is a first line treatment for many types of kidney cancer, especially those tumors are confined to the kidneys. 

• Partial nephrectomy: These are surgical procedures, also known as kidney-sparing surgery, that include removing the tumor and margin of the surrounding tissues. These are procedures used to help to preserve the kidney function of patients.
• Radical nephrectomy: In this procedure, removing the entire kidney ( along with adrenal glands, surrounding healthy tissues and lymph nodes in some cases) when the tumor is larger or more central) in some patients are performed.

Thermal ablation/ minimally invasive local therapies

When the surgery is not suitable in some patients, for example: because of some individual health issues, small tumor sizes, these options may be considered. 

Including:

• Cryoablation: These treatments are used to freeze tumor cells
• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA): In these procedures, heat is used to destroy the tumor cells. 

While for small types of tumors, which is less than 4 cm, preserving kidney function is highly preferred.  

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy (Systemic therapies)

These treatments circulate throughout the body and are especially used when the cancer has spread (metastasized ) or is at high risk in patients. 

• Targeted therapy: These are some drugs that used to interfere with specific pathways in cancer cells, For example: blocking blood vessel formation. 
• Immunotherapy: These drugs are used to boost the immune systems to fight against cancer, for example: check point inhibitors. 

Radiation therapy

The radiation therapy is less commonly used for primary kidney cancer. These can play a major role in palliative care, including the reliving the symptoms if the cancer has spread or in special cases. 

Active surveillance

In some cases, if the tumor appears so small and the growth looks slow, while the patient has some other health issues, the doctor might recommend monitoring closely rather than performing an immediate medical intervention.

Why early diagnosis & Sub-type matter

There are different subtypes and stages that might behave differently in patients to patients, While getting the right diagnosis often allows for a more customized treatment plan. For example: a small indolent tumor might be safely watched, but an aggressive subtype demands immediate attention. 

Preserving kidney function is important (especially if you have other medical issues); hence, a partial nephrectomy or ablation may be preferred if the medical condition and other factors are appropriate for the treatment.

Understanding what treatment options are available means you and your doctor can discuss risks, benefits, side effects, and what the future might look like with follow-up, recurrence tasks, and monitoring.