Your first treatment may be surgery to remove all or part of your kidney. Called a nephrectomy, this procedure leaves your healthy kidney alone. You can very likely live just fine with only one kidney.
Trust your surgeon to take the least invasive approach to removing your cancer. That might involve using Cone Health’s surgical robots or laparoscopic tools. Both types of technology let surgeons take out a tumor through small incisions. So, you recover more quickly, have less scarring, and can get back to your daily routine sooner.
If surgery isn’t a good option for you, your doctors might recommend a less invasive treatment called ablation. It relies on heat or cold to destroy tumors. Procedures include:
- Cryoablation—Uses a needle to send very cold gases to the cancer cells
- Radiofrequency ablation—Puts a probe into the kidney to send an electric current that kills the tumor
Immunotherapy (biotherapy) harnesses your body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. For kidney cancer, your doctor may prescribe a type of drug called a checkpoint inhibitor. It takes the brakes off your immune system. So, your body releases more white blood cells to kill tumors.
These drugs may cause side effects like fatigue and nausea. You can keep them under control with cancer rehabilitation, symptom management, and virtual visits for urgent needs. We’ll help you feel better as soon as possible.
Radiation uses high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells. You could receive it if you’re not well enough for surgery, or if cancer has spread beyond the kidney. Learn about Cone Health’s advanced radiation technology. It precisely targets your tumor while sparing healthy tissue nearby, so you get effective treatment with fewer side effects.
Your care plan likely won’t include chemotherapy because it doesn’t work well for the most common kidney cancers. But if you need it for a less common type of the disease, you’ll appreciate Cone Health’s private chemo treatment areas designed for your comfort.
You may have access to new treatment options because Cone Health brings clinical trials to Alamance, Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham counties. These trials examine how well the latest advances in cancer care help people. If you qualify and choose to take part, a Cone Health research nurse or coordinator will guide you every step of the way.
