KIDNEY CANCER
CRYOTHERAPY
Overview
What is Kidney Cancer?
Galil Medical is at the forefront in bringing the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to kidney cancer treatment. Percutaneous cryotherapy ablation of kidney tumors is one of the minimally invasive procedures that has become possible through the introduction of Galil’s proprietary ultra-thin cryoablation needles.
Primary kidney cancer, also called renal cancer, is a malignant tumor that originates in the kidney. As with all forms of cancer, this means that certain cells are growing abnormally and multiplying uncontrollably. There are two main types of primary kidney tumors in adults—renal-cortical tumors (called renal cell carcinoma, or RCC) and transitional cell tumors. Transitional cell tumors occur in the renal pelvis and ureters, are similar to bladder tumors, and are usually treated as such. For more information on the incidence of kidney cancer and other statistics, see the Kidney Cancer Statistics section.
Renal cell carcinoma accounts for nearly 90% of kidney cancers. The remaining percentage is made up of transitional cell tumors. Smokers develop renal cell carcinoma about twice as often as nonsmokers and develop cancer of the renal pelvis (transitional cell carcinoma) about four times as often. Not smoking is the most effective way to prevent kidney cancer and it is estimated that the elimination of smoking would reduce the rate of renal pelvis transitional cell cancer by one-half and the rate of renal cell carcinoma by one-third. To learn more about the risk factors for kidney cancer, see the Who is at Risk? section.
The Kidneys
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs on either side of the spine in the abdomen at about waist level. Each kidney is about the size of a fist. Attached to the top of each kidney is an adrenal gland. A mass of fatty tissue and an outer layer of fibrous tissue (Gerota's fascia) enclose the kidneys and adrenal glands.
As the chief organs of the urinary tract, the kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines. Every day, the kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine. Each kidney is composed of about one million microscopic "filtering packets" called nephrons. A complicated chemical exchange takes place as waste materials and water leave the blood and enter the urinary system. Each nephron connects to progressively larger tubular branches, until it reaches a large collection area called the calyx. The calices form a funnel-shape at the upper ureter called the renal pelvis. The renal pelvis is where transitional cell tumors of the kidney are located. Urine moves from the renal pelvis through the ureters, the tubes that connect the kidney to the bladder. Urine leaves the body through another tube (the urethra).
Because the kidneys are so important, they are capable of processing at a much higher capacity than the body truly needs. Many people are born with only one kidney, or have donated a kidney for transplant to a family member or friend. These people are able to live normal, healthy lives. Serious health problems occur when our kidneys are performing below 25% of full renal function. If function drops below 10-15%, some form of kidney replacement therapy is necessary to sustain life, such as dialysis or transplant. Preservation of maximum renal function will be an important consideration as the physician decides which renal cancer treatment is best for the patient, especially if for some reason the patient’s kidney function is already below optimal.
Treatment Options for Kidney Cancer
There are many different variables that the patient and physician must consider to determine the best kidney cancer treatment program for the patient. To learn more about these variables, see the sections entitled Kidney Cancer Diagnosis and Stages.
One of the newer treatments available for patients diagnosed with kidney cancer is cryosurgical ablation of the tumor. The traditional treatment for renal cancer is radical nephrectomy; or, in patients with small renal cortical tumors, a nephron-sparing partial nephrectomy may be performed. There are also two types of kidney cancer ablation currently cleared by the FDA for the treatment of RCC. See the Kidney Cancer Treatment section for more information on these treatment options.
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