Kidneys are important organs that help remove waste products from one’s blood. Kidney cancer occurs when cells in the organ grow out of control. This health condition affects thousands of individuals worldwide every year. It can be cured if detected and treated in its early stages. Although traditional interventions such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have been instrumental in fighting it, innovative approaches are constantly coming up, giving patients hope for better treatment outcomes.
In some cases, surgery might not be an ideal treatment option for the patient. One can determine the appropriate treatment after discussing one’s symptoms with a healthcare professional. Some popular nonsurgical interventions include radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation. For RFA, a trained interventional radiologist would insert a needle into the tumor to deliver an electric current to destroy the tumor. Cryoablation involves freezing cancer cells by inserting a cryoprobe after making a small incision on the patient’s body.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapies work by earmarking any cell, tissue, or environmental component in the body contributing to cancer development. They can also target proteins and genes that contribute to cancer cells. Health experts can use the treatment on their own or in combination with surgery or radiation therapy. The chemical compounds being used for this treatment are constantly evaluated. This type of treatment limits the growth of cancer cells and the damage caused to healthy cells. It can also have a restricting effect on cancer spread.
Immunotherapy
As the name suggests, this treatment option uses the body’s natural fighting ability to deal with cancer. The treatment aims to empower the patient’s immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells. There are different types of immunotherapy treatments that the doctor might suggest. The decision is based on the stage and spread of the cancer. For a patient with advanced kidney cancer, there is a different chemical. A patient with metastasized cancer will need different immunoenhancers.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses chemicals that can destroy cancer cells. These chemicals can prevent the growth, division, and reproduction of these cells. Chemotherapy treatment is divided into several sessions distributed over a set period. Some patient are only given one chemical for their cancer, while others are given a combination of these chemicals. Researchers are constantly trying to find the right chemicals that can help achieve better results for kidney cancer treatment. Although chemotherapy is an efficient treatment, its efficacy for kidney cancer has been somewhat limited. Certain types of kidney cancer respond more favorably to chemotherapy treatments than others.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-resolution X-rays or other strong particles to help fight cancer. It is often used in combination with other interventions to obtain better results. Health experts prefer using radiation therapy for kidney cancer when the cancer has spread to other organs. It can help with symptoms such as brain swelling, joint pain, and bone pain.