Treatment of metastatic renal cancer
Sometimes renal cancer recurs after initial surgical treatment. In some cases, the cancer may have already spread more widely when found, typically to the liver, lungs or bones. The treatment of metastatic renal cancer aims to effectively slow down the disease and, hence, maintain as good a quality of life as possible and prolong life expectancy.
Sometimes in metastatic renal cancer, the original tumor must be removed. We can administer radiation therapy for metastases that cause difficult symptoms.
Drug treatments for metastatic renal cancer have developed rapidly in recent years. We are getting more and more patients’ cancer under control for a longer period of time. As treatments, we use targeted drugs taken as tablets or immunological treatments administered by intravenous infusion, with which we aim to get the body’s own defensive cells to attack the cancer cells. We can also administer targeted drugs and immunological treatments at the same time. Targeted medicines in tablet form are reimbursed by Kela.
The goal of targeted medicines is to keep the adverse effects tolerable and to maintain the effect of slowing down the cancer. The nurse directs the dosage of medications. Your treatment can continue for up to years, and if necessary, we can change medicines if the disease progresses or if you experience adverse effects.
Immunological treatments are administered by intravenous infusion. They are not suitable for all patients because they can cause defensive cells to attack healthy cells as well. Therefore, we conduct thorough preliminary studies before starting immunological treatments.