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Kidney Cancer Treatment: Meet Our Specialists

Finding where to get kidney cancer treatment may seem difficult. How do you know the best place to go? At UVA Health, many people come to us for a second opinion.

We strive to offer care that supports you as a whole person. And we offer expertise that will give you and your family comfort and hope.

Why Kidney Cancer Treatment at UVA Health

At UVA Health, our kidney cancer specialists have expertise in the full range of treatments. With us, you'll have options. You'll find the latest technologies. And we have experience with combining treatments to maximize their effect.

We have vast experience in:

  • Ablative technology
  • Robotic or open surgery to remove the kidney, part of the kidney, or the tumor
  • Radiation 
  • Chemotherapy
  • Immunotherapy
  • Targeted therapy
  • Medication

If surgery is necessary, our kidney surgeons will do all they can to save your kidney. This makes your recovery fairly quick. Most patients stay in the hospital for 1 or 2 days. 

UVA Health Expertise

People travel far for our cancer expertise. We're proud to be named Virginia's first Comprehensive Cancer Cancer. This designation comes from the National Cancer Institute. It puts us among the nation's top cancer centers. It means we are leaders in improving cancer care.

Kidney Cancer Types

Kidney cancer is any abnormal growth or tumor in the normal kidney tissue. There are 2 main types of kidney cancer. Wilms' tumor occurs in children. Renal cell carcinoma effects adults. The cancer cells start either in the lining of your ureter or in connective tissue. 

In early stages, kidney cancer shows no signs. But once it gets big, it can lead to:

  • Blood in the urine
  • Lower back pain or new pain elsewhere

Genetic abnormalities, cigarette smoking, and certain chemicals can predispose people to developing kidney cancer.

Kidney Cancer Treatment

Urologic oncologist Christine Ibilibor, MD, explains kidney cancer, its symptoms, and the treatments offered at UVA Health.

Is it Kidney Cancer?

Diagnosis

We may perform blood and urine tests. You may also need imaging exams like:

  • Bone scan
  • Chest X-rays
  • IV pyelogram
  • Renal angiography
  • CT scan
  • MRI scan
  • Renal ultrasound
  • Laparoscopy
  • Cystoscopy

Conditions That Put You at Risk

No one can predict if you'll get kidney cancer or not. But these factors increase your risk: 

  • Smoking
  • Family history of certain hereditary forms of kidney cancer
  • Age: 50 years or older
  • Sex: male
  • Certain occupational exposures such as asbestos and aniline
  • Tanning products
  • Exposure to some toxins, such as astrolachia, an herb common in some Chinese herbal preparations
  • Balkan nephritis
  • Chronic renal stones
  • Phenacetin abuse
  • Tuberous sclerosis
  • Dialysis treatment
  • Von Hippel Lindau syndrome

Cancer Care

Kidney Cancer Clinical Trials
Comparing the outcome of immunotherapy-based drug combination therapy with or without surgery to remove the kidney in metastatic kidney cancer

The University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center seeks adults ages 18 and over with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for a research study. The purpose of this study is to compare Standard Systemic Therapy (SST) alone to SST plus surgery to remove all or part of the kidney with tumor. All patients receive SST to shrink the tumor and stimulate the immune system. Your doctor will determine if you are benefiting from SST. Patient who are benefiting from this treatment will be selected by chance to have surgery and then continue SST or continue SST without surgery. It is possible but not certain that surgery will reduce the amount of cancer in the body and allow immune therapy to work better. This study will help the study doctors find out which approach is better, the same, or worse. To decide if it is better, the study doctors will be looking to see if the study which approach increases the lifespan of patients. All of the drugs that are used as part of treatment on this study are commercially available, FDA approved, and considered standard treatment for your kind of kidney cancer. The study involves receiving the Standard Systemic Therapy and/or surgery, as well as coming in for study visits, which include exams, laboratory tests, and procedures such as having your blood drawn, imaging of your tumor, and talking to the study doctor. If you decide to take part in this study, you will get either only standard drug combination therapy or you will get the standard drug combination therapy and surgery to remove part or all of your kidney. You will get treatment until your disease gets worse. After you finish your study treatment, your doctor will continue to follow your condition for up to 7 years. Your doctor will watch you for side effects and to see how the cancer affects you. You will have clinic visits every 12 weeks during your first year of treatment, followed by every 6 months during your second and third year of treatment, unless the kidney cancer becomes worse. After it worsens, you will have clinic visits every 6 months until three years from when you started the study, and then once a year until seven years after you started the study. You and/or your insurance plan will need to pay for the costs of medical care you get as part of the study, just as you would if you were getting the usual care for your kidney cancer. Additional information can be found here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04510597 [email protected]

PEAK-1: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Active-Control, Multicenter Phase 3 Trial of Casdatifan and Cabozantinib Versus Placebo and Cabozantinib in Patients with Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

The University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center seeks participants ages 18 and over with a kidney cancer for a research study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential benefits of investigational casdatifan in combination with cabozantinib versus placebo and cabozantinib in patients with advanced or metastatic ccRCC who have experienced progression on or after prior anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapy. All the participants will be randomized 2:1 to Arm A or Arm B: Arm A (Experimental Arm) Doses and administration of casdatifan and cabozantinib will be administered using a 28-day cycle: • Casdatifan administered orally at 100 mg QD of each cycle. • Cabozantinib administered orally at 60 mg QD of each cycle. Arm B (Comparator Arm) Doses and administration of placebo and cabozantinib will be administered using a 28-day cycle: • Placebo administered orally QD of each cycle. • Cabozantinib administered orally at 60 mg QD of each cycle. The study is made up of three parts: Screening, Treatment, and Follow Up. The study duration for each participant is expected to be approximately 21 months but could be longer or shorter depending on how your disease progresses.

Pilot Phase II Trial Evaluating Safety and Feasibility of Neoadjuvant Botensilimab and Balstilimab in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (NEO RoBOT)

The University of Virginia is conducting a clinical research study for adults ages 18 years and older with high-risk, non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma who are planning surgery to remove their kidney cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of botensilimab and balstilimab given before surgery. These are immunotherapy medicines designed to help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. The study drugs may or may not shrink the cancer and may cause side effects. The study team will also evaluate how the cancer responds to treatment and follow participants after surgery to assess whether the cancer returns. Botensilimab and balstilimab are investigational for clear cell renal cell carcinoma and are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this use. If you choose to participate, you will receive the usual surgery for your kidney cancer if surgery remains appropriate. Before surgery, you will receive botensilimab and balstilimab through a vein. Treatment consists of two 6-week cycles. Botensilimab is given on Day 1 of Cycle 1 and Day 1 of Cycle 2. Balstilimab is given every 2 weeks, on Days 1, 15, and 29 of each cycle. After the first 6-week cycle, you will have imaging to assess the cancer’s response to treatment. Your study doctor will review the results with you and discuss the next steps in your care. • If the cancer has not grown, you will continue to the second cycle of study treatment. • If the cancer has grown and surgery remains appropriate, you will stop study treatment and proceed directly to surgery. • If the cancer has spread and surgery is no longer considered appropriate, you will stop study treatment, and your doctor will discuss other treatment options with you. If you complete both cycles, surgery is planned approximately 16 weeks after treatment began, provided it remains clinically appropriate. Study-related procedures that are being done beyond your standard of care will be provided at no cost to you or your insurance. Additional information can be found here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07516366 [email protected]

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