Kidney Cancer (cont.)
Follow-up care
Follow-up care after treatment for
kidney cancer is important. Even when the cancer seems to have been completely
removed or destroyed, the disease sometimes returns because cancer cells can
remain in the body after treatment. The doctor monitors the recovery of the
person treated for kidney cancer and checks for recurrence of cancer. Checkups
help ensure that any changes in health are noted. The patient may have lab
tests, chest x-rays, CT scans, or other tests.
Support for people with kidney cancer
Living with a serious disease such as kidney cancer is not easy. People with
kidney cancer may worry about caring for their families, keeping their jobs, or
continuing daily activities. Concerns about treatments and managing side
effects, hospital stays, and medical bills are also common. Doctors, nurses, and
other members of the health care team can answer questions about treatment,
working, or other activities. Meeting with a social worker, counselor, or member
of the clergy can be helpful to those who want to talk about their feelings or
discuss their concerns. Often, a social worker can suggest resources for
financial aid, transportation, home care, or emotional support.
Support groups also can help. In these groups, patients or their family
members meet with other patients or their families to share what they have
learned about coping with the disease and the effects of treatment. Groups may
offer support in person, over the telephone, or on the Internet. Patients may
want to talk with a member of their health care team about finding a support
group.
The Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER can provide information to
help patients and their families locate programs, services, and publications.
The promise of cancer research
Doctors all over the country are
conducting many types of clinical trials.
These are research studies in which people volunteer to take part. In clinical
trials, doctors are testing new ways to treat kidney cancer. Research has
already led to advances, and researchers continue to search for more effective
approaches.
Patients who join these studies have the first chance to benefit from
treatments that have shown promise in earlier research. They also make an
important contribution to medical science by helping doctors learn more about
the disease. Although clinical trials may pose some risks, researchers do all
they can to protect their patients.
Researchers are studying surgery, biological therapy, chemotherapy, and
combinations of these types of treatment. They also are combining chemotherapy
with new treatments, like stem cell transplantation. A stem cell transplant
allows a patient to be treated with high doses of drugs. The high doses destroy
both cancer cells and normal blood cells in the bone marrow. Later, the patient
receives healthy stem cells from a donor. New blood cells develop from the
transplanted stem cells.
Other approaches also are under study. For example, researchers are studying
cancer vaccines that help the immune system to find and attack kidney cancer
cells.
Patients who are interested in being part of a clinical trial should talk
with their doctor.
Patient Discussions
Viewers share their comments
Kidney Cancer - Prognosis
Question: What is the prognosis for your kidney cancer?
Kidney Cancer - Treatment
Question: What was the treatment for your kidney cancer?
Kidney Cancer - Symptoms At Onset Of Disease
Question: The symptoms of kidney cancer can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?
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