Based on results of other tests and procedures, a biopsy may be needed. A biopsy is a procedure in which a sample of the tumor is removed and sent to the laboratory for examination by a pathologist. Biopsy is the only sure way to diagnose cancer. Surgery to remove the kidney is called a nephrectomy and it is the most common treatment for kidney cancer. Biological therapy is a treatment that uses the body s own immune system to fight cancer.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells.
Hormone therapy is used in a small number of patients with advanced kidney cancer to try to control the growth of cancer cells. Arterial embolization is a procedure in which small pieces of a special gelatin sponge, or other material, are injected through a catheter to clog the main renal blood vessel. This procedure shrinks the tumor by depriving it of the oxygen-carrying blood and other substances it needs to grow. It may also be used before an operation to make surgery easier, or to provide relief from pain when removal of the tumor is not possible. All rights reserved.