Kidney Cancer Treatment
There are several treatment options when it comes to kidney cancer.
Surgery
The most common form of treatment is surgical excision. This may involve either radical nephrectomy (removal of the entire kidney and surrounding tissues) or partial nephrectomy (removal of only the cancerous portion of the kidney, sparing the normal portion). Surgery can be performed utilizing laparoscopic or robotic techniques or via larger incisions depending upon the size and location of the tumor.
Ablation
This involves using energy to kill cancer cells. Cryotherapy (freezing the cancer cells) can be performed via a needle inserted through the skin or during laparoscopic surgery through small incisions in the abdomen. Both radiofrequency and microwave ablation use heat to kill cancer cells via needs inserted into the tumor.
Systemic Therapy
In more advanced cases, targeted therapy or immunotherapy can be administered either orally or intravenously by a medical oncologist.
Active Surveillance
This process involves deferring treatment with close monitoring of the growth pattern of the tumor.
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