
Kidney Surgery
Once the medics have established you have a tumour in your kidney, there are a number of options available. Dependent on the size of the tumour, whether it is contained within the kidney, what type of kidney cancer you have and whether it has spread, will all help determine which immediate treatment you could be offered. These vary from 'Active Surveillance', where they do nothing at all initially, to a full removal of the kidney, a Radical Nephrectomy.
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These are the various surgical treatments available, for your oncologist or surgeon to decide which is best for your particular condition and circumstances:
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Partial nephrectomy (open or keyhole)
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Radical nephrectomy (open or keyhole)
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Laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery or robot assisted surgery
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Cryotherapy
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Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
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High intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU)
Nephrectomy
Whether you have a full or partial nephrectomy, this is still a major surgery. Amongst the FROGs, we have probably had every variation available and our shared experienced can give comfort to the newer members, about to go through this process.
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Here is some further detail from Cancer UK about the various surgical treatments and how they are carried out.
Recovery
Everyone is different, however, let's not underestimate the impact that major surgery and general anaesthetic can have on your body. If you haven't been admitted to hospital before, the ward is noisy and you will have to have regular observations, meaning rest and sleep can be difficult. It will be two to three days at least, before the anaesthetic has worn off and you begin to feel normal again, assuming there have been no complications. If you've had open surgery, the muscle damage is quite severe and it will be while before you can move comfortably, without the fear of pain. Be sensible, give yourself the chance to recover fully and listen to the nurses and physios. Not only has your body been through trauma, your mind has too!
Adjunctive Treatment
If you have an increased risk of the cancer coming back after surgery, your doctor may recommend you have an immunotherapy drug. This is called adjuvant treatment. It helps to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.