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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
Kidney Cancer Clinical Trials
A phase II multicenter study of lenvatinib plus everolimus versus cabozantinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma that progressed on a PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor

The University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center seeks adults ages 18 and over with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who have received 1-2 prior forms of treatment for this disease for a research study. The most recent form of treatment must have included a PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor. The purpose of the study is to compare the effectiveness of two different FDA-approved treatments: lenvatinib plus everolimus, and cabozantinib. The treatment that you will receive will be randomly assigned, and both you and the study doctor will know what treatment group you are a part of. All of the study drugs are given as pills and will be taken orally (by mouth) once daily. You will visit the clinic for a study visit once per month, where you will undergo routine/usual care assessments including physical exams and blood sampling during each visit. You may also be required to complete tests during your visit such as a CT (computerized tomography) scan, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or ECHO (echocardiogram) to check on the status of your cancer. Information from these assessments will be recorded for research purposes. The duration of your overall participation in the study is based on how well you tolerate the study drug(s). You can take the study drug(s) for as long as the study doctor believes it is beneficial to you. All study-related procedures are considered standard of care practices, so the participant/participant’s insurance company will be billed for all medication, tests and procedures.”

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]

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