The kidneys are essential organs made up of a number of highly specialized cell types, which are collectively responsible for filtering the blood. Proper functioning of the kidneys allows for regulation of blood pressure and prevents loss of nutrients in the urine. Kidney cancer develops when cells within the kidney mutate and begin to proliferate out of control, leading to the development of cancerous growths on and in the kidney. Once diagnosed, there are a number of treatment options available to kill kidney tumor cells and treat the cancer.
Nephrectomy
A common method of treating kidney cancer is through a nephrectomy, which is the surgical removal of the kidney. Since there are two kidneys in the body, surgeons can remove one of the kidneys, and the other will continue the task of filtering the blood. According to the University of California, there are a number of nephrectomy options available depending on the characteristics of the tumor.
A partial nephrectomy can be used to remove small kidney tumors. The procedure involves removing the affected parts of the kidney and leaving the rest of the kidney intact. A partial nephrectomy can also be done laparoscopically to decrease the damage to other tissues during surgery. A radical nephrectomy is used to treat larger tumors and more advanced cancers and involves removal of the entire affected kidney.
Embolization
Arterial embolization can also be used to treat kidney tumors. Any solid tumor relies on a blood supply in order to grow. One characteristic of tumor cells is that they can actually promote the growth of blood vessels into the tumor to allow for the nourishment and energy required for tumor growth.
An embolization works by blocking the flow of blood to the kidney tumor to prevent further growth and eventually starve the cancer cells to shrink the tumor. The procedure involves re-routing blood vessels in the groin area and injecting blocking substances into the vessels that feed the tumor. According to the University of California, this treatment is effective in patients with inoperable kidney cancer.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy for kidney cancer involves the use of drugs that train the body's natural immune system to kill the cancer cells. Normally, the immune system responds to foreign particles within the body. In cancer, the cells causing the disease are not foreign objects--they are the patient's own cells, so the immune system does not respond and kill the cancer.
A marker used in immunotherapy for kidney disease is a protein called IL-2. When this protein is found at high levels, the immune system seeks out and destroys kidney cancer cells. According to Columbia University, in patients with advanced kidney cancer, IL-2 therapy was effective in 15 to 20 percent of cases. Columbia reports that immunotherapy may be used as a treatment after other treatment methods have failed.
