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Common Questions About Kidney Cancer

General Questions

What is kidney cancer?

What causes kidney cancer?

What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?

Can kidney cancer be cured?

If I have kidney cancer, do I have to have my kidney removed?

What is the connection between von Hippel-Lindau syndrome & kidney cancer?

What qualities should I look for in a surgeon/oncologist?

Should I get genetic testing for kidney cancer? When?

How will I know if my cancer returns?

How can I prevent my cancer from recurring?

What is hospice care and when should I explore it?

What happens when a patient transitions to hospice care?

Is it possible to prevent kidney cancer? How?

Are there things that cause kidney cancer that can be controlled?

What should I look for and what should I ask about when chosing the best doctor for my care?

Diagnosis

How do you make a kidney cancer diagnosis?

What should you do when you receive a kidney cancer diagnosis?

What are the first steps for someone diagnosed at stage I, II, III, IV, or metastatic kidney cancer?

What’s the difference between cancer stage and Fuhrman grade?

Can I get a second opinion for my diagnosis? Will my doctor be offended?

How do kidney cancer subtypes influence treatment?

What types of doctors will you see if you are diagnosed with kidney cancer?

Treatment

What should I ask my doctor before treatment?

Can I get a second opinion about my treatment plan?

What treatment options do people with rare types of kidney cancer have?

What do I do if my doctor and I disagree about treatment?

Why are treatment options sometimes different in different countries?

What are the short and long term effects of kidney cancer treatment?

What are the long term effects of repeated CT scans?

What does the future of kidney cancer care and treatment look like?

What is the next big thing in kidney cancer care and treatment?

What kind of developments in kidney cancer care and treatment can we expect in the next few years?

Surgery

What should you ask your doctor before surgery?

What should you expect before surgery and how can you prepare?

What should you expect after surgery and how can you prepare?

Can you get a second opinion about a surgery? Will your surgeon be offended?

What’s the best way to care for myself after nephrectomy? What activities would be limited?

How long would a patient typically have to stay in the hospital?

Do patients need special equipment at home after surgery?

Targeted Therapy

What is targeted therapy?

Clinical Trials

How do you talk to your doctor about finding and joining a clinical trial?

When should you talk to your doctor about clinical trials?

What should you think about when choosing first-line kidney cancer treatment?

Side Effect Management

What kind of side effects can patients expect from kidney cancer treatment?

How can patients best manage side effects from treatment?

What can patients do to mitigate side effects from kidney cancer treatment?

How do you tell your doctor that your side effects are too much to handle?

Exercise

Can you exercise when you have kidney cancer?

Can you exercise when you are getting treated for kidney cancer?

How can kidney cancer treatment affect daily activities?

Social/Psychological Support

What kinds of supportive resources do hospitals have for patients dealing with cancer?

How can kidney cancer affect my relationships?

What kind of mental health support do kidney cancer patients need?

How to manage anxiety and depression that may be associated with kidney cancer diagnosis/treatment?

I worry about my cancer all the time. How can I manage my anxiety?

Where can patients connect with others who have gone through a similar experience?