Cancer is a life-threatening disease and all types of it, including kidney cancer, are quite painful. The treatment for kidney cancer depends on its stages and the early stages of the condition can be cured quite easily. The treatment options also vary depending on the type of the tumor and the overall health condition of the patient along with many other factors. Instead of getting scared by all the technical terminology and remaining ignorant of the disease, it is more useful for one to understand not just the symptoms but also the treatment options for kidney cancer in the early stages.

• Active surveillance

The early stage that is stage 1 and 2 of kidney cancer is when the cancer is localized. This means that the disease is found only in the kidney and is not spread to other parts of the body. If a small tumor, that is perhaps less than 4 cm, is found in the kidney, then the treatment that doctors suggest is active surveillance or observation. This is done through regular CT scans to see if the tumor is growing, which will necessitate other treatment. Active surveillance is an effective way of keeping a close watch on the tumor and preventing the symptoms from coming up.

• Partial nephrectomy surgery

A discussion about the stages and treatment for kidney cancer is incomplete without mentioning surgery as a method to cure it. In the early stage of kidney cancer when the cancer is still localized, a partial nephrectomy surgery is often the most common treatment suggested by urologists. This method is applicable for small tumors confined to the kidney. It is also recommended for people with pre-existing kidney disease, only one working kidney or cancer in both kidneys. In this surgery, cancer, along with a small part of the kidney, is removed. The kidney function, as a whole, is preserved as one kidney can carry out the work of both in the human body.

• Radical nephrectomy surgery

This is the most common form of surgical treatment for early-stage kidney cancer where the tumor is quite large. In it, the entire affected kidney and a small part of the ureter, along with the surrounding fatty tissues are removed. Depending on the condition, even the adrenal gland and nearby lymph nodes might be removed. In the stage 2 of kidney cancer, it has usually spread into the renal veins, thereby, necessitating a radical nephrectomy surgery.

As for the stages and treatment for kidney cancer, there can be quite a few non-surgical options too in the form of radioactive treatments. However, they are mostly prescribed for the more advanced stages when the cancer has already spread in the lymph nodes and other organs of the body. Whatever be the case, it is always best to consult a physician who would be the best person to advise on the matter, especially considering one’s personal case history determines so much of the treatment procedure.