“Great Talks With…” KCA’s Medical Director about kidney cancer

Joshua Rhodes from Great.com interviewed Sallie McAdoo, MS, CGC, the Kidney Cancer Association’s Medical Director as part of their ‘Great.com Talks With…’ podcast, a series that sheds light on organizations and experts whose work is making a positive impact on the world.

Listen to the whole interview.

Kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers in both men and women and almost 14,000 people in the US will die of kidney cancers this year. The risk factors associated with developing kidney cancer are similar to those of many other cancers – people most at risk may struggle to maintain a healthy weight, smoke, and have a poor diet. The risk of getting kidney cancer often has nothing to do with a family history of cancer.

When people ask about cancer research, what they don’t necessarily understand, according to McAdoo, is that cancer is not one entity. Kidney cancer cells may operate differently to breast cancer cells and respond differently to treatment and in clinical trials. The idea of ‘one cure’ is misleading. Even within kidney or renal cell cancer, there are various types of kidney tumor that have different characteristics and need alternative treatments, such as immunotherapy.

This is why continued research on kidney cancer, how it works, and what treatments can can be most effective for which people is critical. Over the last 30 years, the KCA has hosted scientific symposiums, created educational materials, and supported patients through their cancer journey with resources like the Patient Navigator Program and the Just Diagnosed Toolkit. The organization has also given out over $60 million in research funds. In 2021, a new award highlighted the need to better understand the psychosocial issues embedded in facing kidney cancer and shows that the future of cancer care requires a holistic approach that prioritizes patients’ needs.

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