KIDNEY CANCER EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT

Early detection:There are no recommended screening tests for people at average risk. Treatment:Active surveillance (observation) may be offered to some patients with small tumors. Surgery (traditional or laparoscopic, i.e., minimally invasive, performed through very small incisions) is the primary treatment for most kidney cancers. Patients who are not surgical candidates may be offered ablation therapy, a procedure that uses heat or cold to destroy the tumor. Kidney cancer tends to be resistant to both traditional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Improved understanding of the biology of kidney cancer has led to the development of several targeted therapies that control cancer growth by blocking the tumor’s blood supply or through other mechanisms and are used to treat metastatic disease.source: American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2013. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2013.