Articles on Renal Cell Therapies in CURE

http://www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/article.show/id/2/article_id/1162

http://www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/article.show/id/2/article_id/1131


For advanced clear-cell RCC, the medicines have made a dramatic difference in physicians’ conversations with patients. Figlin says he can tell newly diagnosed patients and their families that there’s a high chance of benefit from the treatment, with the potential to improve symptoms and extend life. “Although they are not curative treatments, they can turn this disease into more of a chronic management disease,” he says. “We were not able to have that conversation just five years ago.”

I was not given much of an option when diagnosed with RCC (Renal Cell Carcinoma). Perhaps it was strictly because my case was as advanced as it was and the risk for metastasis was still very much a possibility. My tumor measured 7.5 cm x 2.5 cm...roughly 3.5 inches in size. According to this article, targeted therapies can be considered if the tumor is up to 4cm which means surgical removal of the entire kidney may not be necessary.

While my surgery was performed Laparoscopically using the DaVinci Surgical system (basically a robot) I had what is known as a Radical Nephrectomy which involved removing the entire kidney, tumor, adrenal gland and lymph nodes. I'd like to believe if they could have removed the tumor and left me the kidney they would have...apparently science has arrived at designing drugs that can extend the life of someone with advanced Kidney cancer. Which is awesome. My understanding at the time was that Kidney Cancer doesn't respond to chemo and the like. If this has changed that is incredible news.

Since the 5 year survival rate of metastatic Renal Cell is a sad 5%...anything that will extend the life someone with this disease is extraordinary.

I may not believe there will ever be a cure but I think I can believe in science finding a way to treat all cancers like a chronic disease. That seems likely.

Renal Cell Carcinoma is...or was my primary Cancer. We just found it by accident. It was possibly 3 to 5 years old when it was discovered. We only found it because they (my Dr's) were looking into the tumors in my neck and chest which turned out to be Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

The Hodgkin's I guess is my secondary Cancer.

Sometimes I almost forget I had Renal Cell because almost as quickly as it was discovered It was removed. But then I remember I have only one kidney and of course there are the nifty scars I got to keep as souvenirs.


Be well.