Kidney Cancer Treatment by Stage

Treatment options for kidney cancer will vary in part based on the stage, or extent, of the disease. This article breaks down kidney cancer treatment by stage of the disease. In general, kidney cancer treatment may include surgery, arterial embolization, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy, or a combination of treatments.

Treatment for Kidney Cancer

Kidney Cancer Treatment by Stage: An Overview

Kidney cancer treatment options vary based on the stage of kidney cancer and the patient's age and general health.

(Click Kidney Cancer Stages for more information about the stages of kidney cancer.)

For purposes of this article, the term "kidney cancer" refers to renal cell carcinoma (also known as renal cell cancer), the most common type of kidney cancer.

(Click Wilms' Tumor Treatment by Stage or Transitional Cell Carcinoma Treatment by Stage for information about treatment options for these less common types of kidney cancer.)

In general, treatment options for kidney cancer may include:

Surgery (see Kidney Cancer Surgery)
Arterial embolization (see Arterial Embolization for Kidney Cancer)
Radiation therapy (see Radiation Treatment for Kidney Cancer)
Chemotherapy (see Kidney Cancer Chemotherapy)
Biological therapy (see Biological Treatment for Kidney Cancer).

(Click Kidney Cancer Treatment for more information about the treatment of kidney cancer.)

The stages of kidney cancer include:

Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV
Recurrent.

(Kidney Cancer Treatment by Stage Continued: Page 2)