The Kidney Cancer Association reports that – just since Jan. 1, 2024 – an impressive 79 new clinical trials have opened and are currently enrolling patients in the pursuit of better treatments for kidney cancer.
Raul E. Storey, M.D., a medical oncologist and hematologist who practices in Vero Beach, says that in recent years, treatment for kidney cancer, particularly advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), has evolved dramatically.
“We’ve moved beyond traditional chemotherapy to more personalized and effective therapies,” Dr. Storey says. “Targeted therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, work by cutting off the blood supply to tumors. Immunotherapies like nivolumab or the combination of nivolumab with ipilimumab empower the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells.
“Several combination therapies, immunotherapy paired with targeted therapy, are now frontline standards.”
Healthline reports that though some risk factors for kidney cancer are out of patients’ control, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. Dietary and lifestyle changes can work together to control risk factors such as obesity and high blood pressure.
Dr. Storey concurs, explaining that major risk factors for kidney cancer include:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Family history of kidney cancer
- Genetic conditions like von Hippel-Lindau disease
- Long-term dialysis or chronic kidney disease
- Male sex and age over 60
“Kidney cancer is among the top 10 most common cancers in both men and women in the United States,” Dr. Storey says, but it is more common in men.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 81,610 new cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed in 2025.
In addition to new drug therapies, diagnostic tools have emerged that offer great promise. Dr. Storey explains, “Beyond traditional imaging techniques (CT, MRI, ultrasound), we’re seeing growth in molecular and genomic profiling.
“These tools help identify specific mutations or biological characteristics of a patient’s tumor, allowing for more tailored treatment plans. Liquid biopsies, tests that analyze cancer DNA in the blood, also are emerging, although they are still being studied for routine use in kidney cancer.”
The American Cancer Society says that many kidney cancers can be treated by removing or destroying the tumor or tumors. Treatments such as surgery, ablative treatments and radiation therapy are effective in many instances, and doctors are developing newer approaches to these treatments. For example:
- Surgery to remove kidney cancer can now often be done using robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery, in which the surgeon sits at a panel in the operating room and controls precise robotic arms to do the surgery.
- Newer types of ablative treatments, such as microwave ablation and irreversible electroporation, are now being studied for use in destroying tumors in the kidneys or other parts of the body.
- Newer forms of radiation therapy, such as stereotactic body radiation therapy, are now an option to treat some tumors.
Kidney cancer rates have been increasing gradually over the past few decades, in part because of better diagnostic techniques. “The widespread use of imaging techniques like CT scans and ultrasounds often detect kidney tumors incidentally, before symptoms appear,” says Dr. Storey.
“But lifestyle factors such as rising obesity rates, high blood pressure and smoking also contribute to the increase.
“The good news is that survival rates for kidney cancer have improved significantly, particularly for patients diagnosed at earlier stages,” Dr. Storey adds.
“In great part, this is largely thanks to early detection through better imaging, more precise staging, and especially the development of targeted and immune-based therapies that offer new hope for those with advanced disease.”
Treatment differs between the various types of kidney cancer and the stage at which the disease is detected.
“The most common type is clear cell renal cell carcinoma, making up about 70-to-80 percent of cases,” says Dr. Storey. “Other subtypes include papillary RCC, chromophobe RCC, and less common forms such as collecting duct carcinoma.”
Early detection in important and greatly affects treatment.
“Staging is based on tumor size and spread,” Dr. Storey says.
- Stage I–II (localized): Often treated with surgery (partial or radical nephrectomy). Active surveillance may be considered for small, slow-growing tumors.
- Stage III (locally advanced): Surgery is typically combined with close monitoring or clinical trials for adjuvant therapy.
- Stage IV (metastatic): Treated with systemic therapies such as immunotherapy and/or targeted drugs. In select cases, surgery to remove the kidney (cytoreductive nephrectomy) may still play a role.
“Common symptoms can include blood in the urine, flank or back pain, a palpable mass in the abdomen, weight loss, fatigue or fever.
“However, many early-stage kidney cancers are asymptomatic and found incidentally,” he concludes.
Raul E. Storey, M.D., a medical oncologist and hematologist, is co-chair of FCS (Florida Cancer Specialists) Foundation. He can be reached at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, 3730 7th Terrace, Vero Beach. Call 772-567-2332 for an appointment.
