Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Kidney Cancer - Treatment Options

Kidney Cancer - Treatment Options

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Surgery

  • Under general anesthesia, radical nephrectomy or complete removal of the kidney and fat around the kidney is performed when it is not possible to perform a partial nephrectomy, or to just remove the cancerous portion of the kidney. This is often performed through a minimally invasive/laparoscopic approach which requires an overnight hospital stay except with larger renal masses, in which an open surgical incision may be required.
  • Because the other kidney has normal function in most individuals, there are usually no functional consequences. However, whenever possible, a partial nephrectomy is performed to maximize kidney function.
  • In comparison with a radical nephrectomy, a partial nephrectomy is associated with a higher risk of bleeding, requiring blood transfusion and urine leak as a consequence of wedging out the cancerous portion of the kidney. Robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy via a minimally invasive approach is used for renal masses generally up to 7 cm depending on surgeon experience, and open partial nephrectomy is performed for larger masses.
  • With both partial and radical nephrectomy, the kidney cancer is removed, allowing the pathologist to examine the tissue and determine the pathologic stage. This allows additional prognosis, or prediction in terms of recurrence-free survival.

Thermal Ablation

  • Heat (radioablation) or cold (cryotherapy) may be used to kill the kidney cancer with image guidance, typically under general anesthesia.
  • Several probes are inserted through the skin and abdominal wall muscles.
  • With this approach, the mass is not removed, but rather left in place.
  • Population-based studies demonstrate that more imaging was performed after thermal ablation compared to surgical removal of kidney cancers.

Chemotherapy

  • For cancer that has spread beyond the kidney, chemotherapies include:
    • Sunitinib
    • Sorafenib
    • Pazopanib
    • Axitinib
    • Temsirolimus
    • Everolimus
    • Bevacizumab in combination with interferon

Diagnosis & Treatment of Small Renal Masses

Diagnosis and Treatment of Small Renal Masses - Jim C. Hu, MD, MPH

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Physicians & Faculty

Dr. Joseph Del Pizzo, M.D.

Joseph J. Del Pizzo

M.D.

(646) 962-9600
(646) 962-9600
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, Aetna-NYP-EPO/POS, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, EBCBS Blue Access, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Federal Medicare, NY State Medicaid, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Medicare, United Healthcare Commercial
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery
Dr. Jim C. Hu

Jim C. Hu

M.D., M.P.H.

646.962.6363
646.962.6363
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, Aetna-NYP-EPO/POS, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS Pathway X Enhanced, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Emblem Select Care, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Federal Medicare, Fidelis Care, GHI, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], POMCO, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, UHC Medicare, United Empire Plan, United Health Care [Community Plan], United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery
Dr. David Michael Nanus, M.D.

David M. Nanus

M.D.

646.962.2072
646.962.2072
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Health Plan, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, GHI, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Rockefeller University-CoreSource, United Empire Plan, United Health Care, United Health Care [Community Plan]
Dr. Douglas S. Scherr, M.D. | Weill Cornell Medicine

Douglas Scherr

M.D.

646.962.6363
646.962.6363
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), GHI, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Medicaid, Medicare, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, United Empire Plan, United Healthcare Commercial
Brady Urologic Health Center
Dr. Scott T. Tagawa, M.D., MS

Scott T. Tagawa

M.D.

646.962.2072
646.962.2072
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Emblem Select Care, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Fidelis Care, GHI, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Medicaid, Medicare, Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], POMCO, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, United Empire Plan, United Health Care, United Health Care [Community Plan], United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth

Timothy McClure

M.D.

646.962.6363
646.962.6363
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Essential, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS Pathway X Enhanced, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Fidelis Care, GHI, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Medicaid, Medicare, Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], POMCO, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Community Plan - Essential Plan, UHC Community Plan - Medicaid Plan, UHC Medicare, United Empire Plan, United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery
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