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The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) was created by Congress in 1992 to fund high-impact medical research—especially in areas overlooked by traditional sources—through the Department of Defense. CDMRP began with breast cancer research and has since expanded to support many conditions affecting both Service Members and civilians. https://www.kidneycancer.org/protect-federal-kidney-cancer-research-funding/ The CDMRP’s unique strength lies in backing high-risk, high-reward science: early-stage, innovative ideas that…

This is a guest post by Kiana Jones. Kiana’s father Sammie Jones was diagnosed with kidney cancer and passed away in 2024. Sammie Jones's family: Sammie Jr., Valeria, Sam, and Kiana. My father, Sammie Jones, was more than a cancer patient; he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who wanted to live and fight to be with his family.…

Welcome back to our blog series about kidney cancer clinical trials where we break down recent research into key updates for patients and others interested in advances in the field from the major cancer conferences including the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) annual meeting, the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) annual meeting, the 2025 ASCO genitourinary…

Kidney Cancer Unfiltered season 3 was filled with raw emotions, compelling stories, and powerful insights by both experts and those impacted by kidney cancer. Hosted by Annamaria Scaccia, this season featured remarkable guests who shared their personal experiences, shedding light on topics often overlooked in cancer conversations. I have listened to quite a few of these podcasts and find them…

Dr. Toni Choueiri and Dr. Rizwan Romee received a KCA research award in 2021 for their project “Adoptive cytokine-induced memory-like natural killer cell therapy alone or in combination with avelumab for immunotherapy-refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma.” This technique could represent a new type of immunotherapy treatment Choueiri, Romee, and Dr. Vincent Xu, shared an update on their research, which has…

Update 3/27/25: Why We Must Restore Funding For the CDMRP Update 3/24/25: Kidney cancer will not receive any funding this year through the CDMRP. A recent STAT News article summarized the far-reaching impacts of the "devastating" 57% cuts to the CDMRP, which, instead of reducing some funding for the 35 disease research programs supported by the CDMRP, eliminated funding for…

We rounded up a few research highlights from the 2025 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU), held recently in San Francisco, California. Three-drug combo superior to two drugs for advanced RCC Advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients (855 people) given a combination of cabozantinib, nivolumab, and ipilimumab had longer progression-free survival compared with patients given nivolumab and ipilimumab plus a placebo –…

During Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, the Kidney Cancer Association encourages everyone to #OrangeUp and honor those impacted by this disease.   In the US, over 600,000 people live with kidney cancer and about 81,000 new cases will be diagnosed in 2025.   However, in the last decade, over a dozen new treatments for kidney cancer have been approved the research community continues…

The City of Austin, Texas proclaimed March 1, the first day of Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, to be "Kidney Cancer Awareness Day" from 2025 onward.  John Ferrell, Annamaria Scaccia, and Katie Coleman at Austin City Hall. KCA Ambassador and patient advocate Annamaria Scaccia requested the proclamation.  “I’m grateful that Austin has recognized March 1 —  the start of Kidney Cancer Awareness…

This is a guest post by Shayla Mitchell, 29, who has an unclassified type of renal cell carcinoma. Shayla lives in Missouri. For several months, I knew something wasn’t right. My body felt off — persistent back pain, discomfort, and an unshakable feeling that something was wrong. But every time I sought help, I was met with dismissals. Shayla Mitchell…