Treatment Options for RCC
The main treatment for early-stage RCC is surgery to remove the cancer from the body.21[2C -- Cohen, p. 2484]
Types of surgery for RCC include:
- Nephrectomy (pronounced: nuh-FREK-tuh-mee) – kidney removal. This type of surgery is done for both early-stage and advanced RCC.21[2C & 2D -- Cohen, p. 2484 & 2485]
- Partial nephrectomy – removing part of the kidney. This type of surgery is done if the tumor is less than 4 cm (4 centimeters = about 1.5 inches) in diameter. It might also be done if a person has only one kidney, if there are tumors in both kidneys, or if the kidneys are not working properly.21[2E -- Cohen, p. 2485]
- Laparoscopic nephrectomy – removing part or all of the kidney using special equipment so that the surgeon does not have to make a large incision to get the kidney out.21[2F -- Cohen, p. 2485]
- Ablation – a technique to kill tumors using radio wave frequencies (radiofrequency heat ablation) or extreme cold (cryoablation). This technique is done on tumors that are less than 3 cm (3 centimeters = 1.2 inches) in diameter and for people who might not be appropriate for major surgery.21[2G & 2H -- Cohen, p. 2485]
Chemotherapy and radiation treatments, which are used to treat other types of cancer, are not very effective for treating RCC.32[5B -- Keane, p. 375]
Biologic therapies are treatments that help the immune system fight the cancer.
In addition, in recent years several treatments for advanced RCC have been developed called targeted therapies. These are treatments that target specific molecular pathways and processes that affect cell growth.
Researchers are also investigating vaccines, stem-cell therapies, and other therapies for the treatment of RCC.21[2J & 2K -- Cohen, p. 2486 & 2487]
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with RCC, talk to your doctor about the types of treatment that might be right for you.
Important Safety Information
- Before you begin treatment with TORISEL, your doctor may give you an antihistamine. It is possible to have a serious allergic reaction even after you receive an antihistamine. Tell your doctor or nurse if you are allergic to antihistamines or are unable to take antihistamines for any other medical reasons. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have any swelling around your face or difficulty breathing during or after treatment.
-
TORISEL can cause serious side effects. The most common side effects are
- Rash
- Weakness/fatigue
- Mouth sores
- Nausea
- Swelling/fluid retention
- Loss of appetite
- Patients are likely to experience increased blood sugar levels. This may require treatment with or an increase in the dose of a medicine that lowers blood sugar levels. Tell your doctor or nurse if you are thirstier than usual or urinate more often than usual.
- Patients are likely to experience an increase in cholesterol and/or triglycerides. This may require treatment with or an increase in the dose of a medicine that lowers cholesterol and/or triglycerides.
- If you experience side effects that are too severe to tolerate, your health care professional may choose to delay your treatment, give you a lower dose of TORISEL, or discontinue treatment.
- Before you begin treatment with TORISEL, tell your doctor or nurse about ALL MEDICINES you are taking, including
- Prescription medications, including but not limited to antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antifungals, antivirals, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, dexamethasone, vaccines
- Nonprescription (over the counter) medications
- Vitamins
- Herbal supplements, including but not limited to St. John’s Wort
- Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice during the course of your treatment with TORISEL, including the time between treatments.
Please see Important Safety Information continued on the next page.
- Treatment with TORISEL may affect your immune system. You may be at greater risk of getting an infection while receiving TORISEL.
Please see Important Safety Information continued on the next page.
Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information.
- Patients may get chronic inflammation of the lungs during treatment with TORISEL. Rare fatal cases have been reported. Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you have any trouble breathing, get a cough, or develop a fever.
- TORISEL may cause bowel perforation. Rare fatal cases have been reported. Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you have any new or worsening stomach pain or blood in your stool.
- Treatment with TORISEL may be associated with a risk of kidney failure, sometimes fatal.
- During treatment with TORISEL, wounds may not heal properly. Tell your doctor or nurse if you are recovering or still have an unhealed wound from surgery. Tell your doctor or nurse if you plan to have surgery during treatment with TORISEL.
- TORISEL may increase the risk of bleeding in the brain, which has, in rare cases, been fatal. You are at increased risk if
- You have a central nervous system tumor, such as a brain tumor
- You are taking medicine to keep your blood from clotting
- Some vaccines may be less effective when given during the course of treatment with TORISEL. You should avoid the use of live vaccines and close contact with people who have recently received live vaccines. Ask your doctor or nurse if you are eligible to receive a flu shot.
- Both men and women should use a reliable form of birth control during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of TORISEL. TORISEL can harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor or nurse before beginning treatment if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant.
Please see the full Prescribing Information for TORISEL.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
References:
- TORISEL® Kit (temsirolimus) Prescribing Information, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.
- Cohen HT, McGovern FJ. Renal-cell carcinoma. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2477-2490.
- Keane T, Gillatt D, Evans CP, et al. Current and future trends in the treatment of renal cancer. Eur Urol Suppl. 2007;6:374-384.