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Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer, cared for close to home by one team.

Kidney cancer is increasingly treated with targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which have transformed outcomes for advanced disease. Our oncologists coordinate systemic treatment with your urologist and surgical team.

How we approach it

Targeted and immune therapy

Modern kidney cancer treatment relies on targeted drugs and immunotherapy — often combined — for disease that has spread

Coordinated with surgery

For localized tumors, surgery is often the main treatment; we coordinate any systemic therapy around it

Personalized monitoring

Some small kidney tumors are watched closely rather than treated immediately, depending on your situation

What the workup looks like

1
Imaging often makes the diagnosis

Kidney masses are frequently identified and characterized on CT or MRI — sometimes without needing a biopsy first.

2
Checking whether it has spread

Additional imaging confirms the stage and whether the disease is still confined to the kidney.

3
Surgery, then what's needed

Surgery is often the main treatment. For more advanced disease, immunotherapy or targeted therapy follows to lower the risk of recurrence.

Common questions

How is kidney cancer usually found?
Often incidentally — on a scan done for another reason. Symptoms, when present, can include blood in the urine, back or side pain, or a mass.
Will I need chemotherapy?
Traditional chemotherapy is not the mainstay for kidney cancer. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy are the modern backbone of treatment.
Can kidney cancer be cured?
Localized kidney cancer is often cured with surgery. Even advanced disease can frequently be controlled for a long time with today's therapies.
What if only part of the kidney is involved?
Surgeons can often remove just the tumor and preserve the rest of the kidney. For more advanced kidney cancer, immunotherapy after surgery can help lower the risk of the cancer returning, and we coordinate any further treatment around your surgery.

This page is general information, not medical advice for your specific situation. Every diagnosis — and every patient — is different. Bring your questions to your care team.