• What is kidney cancer?
• Diagnosis
• Treatment overview
• Kidney surgery (nephrectomy)
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Cryoablation therapy
• Radiotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapies
• Why choose GenesisCare?

There are several types of kidney cancer, but the most common is renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which accounts for about 9 in 10 cases.

Kidney cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages and may be found during scans for other reasons. When there are symptoms, the most common include:

• Blood in your urine
• A lump or swelling in your abdomen (between your ribs and hips)
• Persistent pain in your side

Other general symptoms can include:

• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever
• Fatigue
• High blood pressure

If you experience any unusual health changes, it’s important to speak to your GP.

This page focuses on the current treatment options for kidney cancer. For more information about symptoms, causes, and types of kidney cancer, please visit our page about kidney cancer. 

Surgery is the most common treatment option for early-stage kidney cancer (stage one or two) and locally advanced kidney cancer (stage three). The aim is to remove all or as much of the cancer as possible.

Most kidney cancer surgeries are done using keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery, which involves small cuts instead of large incisions and is carried out under general anaesthetic.

Not everyone will need to have their entire kidney removed. Your consultant will consider the size, location, and stage of the cancer to decide on the most suitable surgery for you.

The main types of surgery are:

• Partial nephrectomy – removes the tumour while preserving as much healthy kidney tissue as possible
• Radical nephrectomy – removes the entire kidney, along with some surrounding tissue, such as nearby lymph nodes

A radical nephrectomy may sound concerning, but many people live full, active lives with just one kidney. Over time, the remaining kidney will adapt to take over most of the work of both kidneys.

After surgery, you may also be offered immunotherapy for up to a year to help reduce the risk of the cancer returning.

If you choose surgery, we can arrange this at one of our renowned partner hospitals, where expert surgeons specialise in kidney cancer surgery. You’ll continue to receive the rest of your treatment and care with GenesisCare.

Following your surgery, you may need to stay in hospital for two to seven days while you recover.

Common side effects include:

• Feeling tired and weak
• Pain or discomfort around the surgical area

Your care team will support you in managing these side effects, which usually improve with time.

Some side effects can be more serious and may require urgent medical attention, such as:

• Urine or chest infections
• Blood clots
• Bleeding

If needed, these can be treated with antibiotics, blood transfusions, or other supportive care. Your care team will explain what to look out for and teach you simple exercises, like leg movement and deep breathing to reduce your risk of complications.

Ablation is the name for non-surgical treatments that can remove or destroy tumours. One of the most common forms is radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which uses extreme heat to destroy cancer cells.

RFA is often recommended for people with small, early-stage kidney cancers. It may also be an option if you have several small tumours or if there are tumours in both kidneys.

During treatment, a specialist called a radiologist will carefully insert small probes through your skin into the area where the tumour is. These probes use radio waves to heat up the surrounding tissue and destroy the tumour cells. The procedure usually involves local anesthesia at the probe insertion site, and you may receive medication to help you relax.

RFA is a minimally invasive procedure performed in an outpatient setting meaning patients can return home the same day.

Other types of ablations, including microwave ablation, laser ablation, and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) may be available through clinical trials. You can speak to your consultant to find out if you’re eligible to take part in any trials.

The procedure itself is relatively short, often taking 60-90 minutes.  After treatment, you’ll usually need to stay in bed for four to six hours. During this time, you’ll be advised not to move around or eat and drink.

It’s normal to feel some pain or discomfort after the procedure. Your care team will provide pain relief to help you feel more comfortable. Most people feel well enough to go home the same day, but it may take about a week before you can return to your usual activities.

Like all treatments, you may experience some side effects which can include:

• Pain or soreness in the treatment area
• Flu-like symptoms such as a mild fever, nausea, or tiredness
• Blood in your urine

There’s a low risk of more serious complications such as:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Narrowing of the ureter (the tube that drains urine from the kidney)

Your consultant will monitor you closely after treatment with regular scans to check how well the treatment has worked and to spot any complications early. If any issues arise, they can usually be treated quickly with medication or other care.

Cryoablation therapy is a non-surgical treatment which uses extreme cold to destroy cancer cells. It involves inserting thin needles into the kidney at the site of the tumour and injecting a cold gas or liquid. The tumour is often frozen and thawed twice to help destroy as many cancer cells as possible.

Cryoablation is usually offered at specialist hospitals as an alternative to surgery. It may be a suitable treatment option for people:

• Who have one or several small kidney tumours
• Who cannot have surgery due to other health conditions
• With poor kidney function
• With cancer in both kidneys
• With an inherited form of kidney cancer

The procedure typically takes 2 – 3 hours and you’ll usually need to rest in hospital for at least four hours after the procedure is complete. Most people are well enough to go home the same day but may take up to a week to fully recover.

You may experience some mild side effects, which usually improve within a few days. These can include:

• Pain or soreness at the treatment site<
• A burning or tingling sensation on the treated side
• Temporary nerve changes near the treatment area, such as mild weakness or numbness

Serious complications are rare, but can include:

• Injury to nearby organs
• Bleeding
• A urine leak around the kidney

Your care team will monitor you closely after your treatment and any problems will be quickly treated. quickly treated.

Radiotherapy uses high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells. Traditionally, kidney cancers, especially renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) have been difficult to treat with radiotherapy as they were thought to be resistant to standard radiation doses.

However, an advanced form of radiotherapy called stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has shown excellent results in treating kidney cancer. SABR delivers very high doses of radiation to precise target areas, making it more effective at destroying tumour cells.

SABR can be delivered using an MR Linac which combines live MRI imaging with powerful radiation beams to deliver incredibly precise treatment to the tumour. It features an automated beam control system that pauses treatment if the tumour moves, protecting nearby healthy tissue and minimising the risk of side effects. This technique is called MR-guided SABR.

Treatment on the MR Linac can be completed in as few as five days, helping you get back to your daily life as soon as possible. 

Learn more about MR-guided SABR for kidney cancer

Most people have external beam radiation therapy (ERBT) where radiation is delivered by a machine from outside the body. The main ERBT techniques used for kidney cancer are:

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – beams are shaped to surround the kidney, which reduces damage to surrounding healthy tissues
• Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) – a new intensive technique that delivers several highly accurate beams to the cancer from different angles in just five sessions 

At GenesisCare, we’re the leading private provider of SABR in the UK. Our highly trained team of radiologists use the latest generation techniques and technology to deliver advanced treatment.

We offer MR-guided SABR, exclusively to patients across the UK at our GenesisCare centres in Oxford and London.

Find out more about MR-guided SABR for kidney cancer on the MR Linac

SABR and MR-guided SABR can offer unique advantages for treating localised kidney cancer compared to surgery and other ablative therapies.

Like all treatments, some side effects can happen during or after radiotherapy treatment. They’re often mild and can be managed with medication from your consultant.

They include:

• Feeling tired and weak
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Changes to the skin in the treatment area e.g. redness, soreness, hair loss

At GenesisCare, your radiotherapy is overseen by an expert multidisciplinary team. They’ve worked hard to make sure we’re using the most advanced techniques to minimise the risk of side effects for our patients. Throughout your treatment, they’ll offer specialist advice and medication to help you with any side effects. 

Immunotherapy is a treatment that helps your immune system find and attack cancer cells. Normally, cancer cells can hide from your immune system, but immunotherapy drugs block this ability, so your body can fight back more effectively.

Most kidney cancer immunotherapy drugs are called checkpoint inhibitors. These medicines stop cancer from turning off your immune response. They’re usually given through an intravenous (IV) drip in a hospital or clinic, typically every few weeks depending on your treatment plan.

Immunotherapy is mainly used for advanced or metastatic kidney cancer, meaning the cancer has spread beyond the kidney to other parts of the body. It’s often combined with targeted therapy to slow down cancer growth and help you live more comfortably.

Clinical trials are research studies that test new and improved treatments, like immunotherapies. If you’re interested, speak with your consultant to see if any suitable trials are available.

Immunotherapy boosts your immune system, but sometimes this can lead to overactivity, which may affect different parts of the body.

Some people experience only mild symptoms, while others may have more noticeable effects. It’s important to keep track of any new or unusual symptoms and report them to your consultant.

Common side effects:

• Skin changes – rash, itchiness, or dryness
• Thyroid issues – feeling too hot or cold due to hormone changes
• Bowel problems – diarrhoea, stomach cramps, or constipation
• Joint pain – swelling, stiffness, or aches
• Fatigue – feeling more tired than usual
• Loss of appetite – reduced hunger or changes in taste

Less common side effects:

Immunotherapy can sometimes cause the immune system to mistakenly target healthy organs, leading to inflammation. While rare, these side effects can be serious and require immediate medical attention:

• Lung inflammation (pneumonitis) – persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain
• Liver inflammation (hepatitis) – yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, pain on the right side of the stomach
• Heart problems – irregular heartbeat, chest pain, dizziness
• Kidney inflammation – reduced urine output or swelling in the legs and feet
• Nerve issues – numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms and legs

Side effects can appear months after treatment, so it’s important to report any changes to your consultant or care team, even after finishing treatment. Your care team will monitor you closely and provide treatment to manage any side effects effectively.

At GenesisCare, we provide the latest immunotherapy treatments in a calm and comfortable setting. All our centres are Macmillan-accredited, meaning we follow the highest standards of cancer care and patient support.

Targeted therapy is a treatment that focuses on cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. It works by blocking signals that tell cancer to grow and spread, helping slow or even shrink tumours.

Most targeted therapy drugs are taken as daily tablets or capsules at home. Your consultant will explain how and when to take them. You may need to have regular check-ups and blood tests to monitor your progress and manage any side effects.

Targeted therapy is mainly used for advanced or metastatic kidney cancer, often combined with immunotherapy to keep cancer under control for as long as possible.

Many targeted therapy drugs for kidney cancer belong to a group called protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs). These drugs:

• Block signals that help cancer grow
• Prevent the tumour from making new blood vessels, which it needs to grow
•  Slow cancer from spreading

At GenesisCare, we offer the latest targeted therapy treatments based on the most up-to-date research. Our expert team of oncology pharmacists and nurses will personalise your treatment and support you throughout.

Possible side effects of targeted therapy

Like all treatments, targeted therapy may cause some side effects. The most common ones include:

• Fatigue – feeling tired or weak
• Nausea and vomiting – feeling sick to your stomach
• Diarrhoea – loose or frequent stools
• Sore mouth – ulcers or dryness
• Sore hands and feet – redness, blisters, or peeling skin
• Changes in skin and hair – rashes or hair colour changes
• High blood pressure – your consultant will monitor this
• Slower wound healing – cuts or injuries may take longer to heal

Managing side effects

Many side effects can be managed with medication or small lifestyle changes:

• Drink plenty of fluids – to help with nausea and diarrhoea
• Eat small, frequent meals – to ease nausea and maintain energy levels
• Use gentle skincare products – moisturisers can help with dry or irritated skin
• Tell your consultant about any unusual symptoms – some side effects may need treatment 

We believe you deserve exceptional cancer care no matter where you are in your cancer journey. That’s why we work closely with teams of leading experts in the field to provide a wide range of options for all stages of kidney cancer care, including radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. We create treatment plans tailored to your specific condition and preferences to deliver the best possible outcome – without delay.

We understand kidney cancer can be a difficult time in and out of the treatment room. That’s why we provide all our patients with access to tailored exercise medicine with a highly-trained personal physiotherapist, and wellbeing sessions through our unique partnership with Penny Brohn UK – all at no extra cost. 

Enhancing patient well-being through the power of sleep

As part of our commitment to enhancing your health and well-being, we have partnered with The Sleep Project to provide all our patients with access to online webinars, live Q&A sessions with sleep experts, and sleep improvement programs to improve your sleep health and well-being. 

The Sleep Project is dedicated to enhancing patient well-being through the power of sleep. We understand the critical role sleep plays in overall health, particularly for individuals undergoing cancer treatment^2,3,4,5. Our goal is to provide tailored sleep intervention programmes that improve your sleep quality, support recovery, and manage pain.