Radiation Therapy for Kidney Cancer

Radiation therapy is the use of penetrating beams of high-energy waves or streams of particles called radiation to treat disease. Radiation therapy destroys the ability of cancer cells to grow and divide.

Radiation may be recommended to treat kidney cancer if you are not a candidate for surgery. In general, kidney cancer is resistant to radiation treatments, but the therapy could be useful to treat pain that has spread to other parts of the body. The treatment may slow the growth of the disease but will not cure the cancer.

Type of Radiotherapy Used for Kidney Cancer

External radiation is used to treat kidney cancer. In external radiation therapy, rays are directed at the tumor from outside the body. Treatments are given at a hospital or radiation center, usually once a day, five days per week. The daily time spent receiving the external beam therapy is short.

References

American Cancer Society website. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp?level=0 .

Kidney Cancer Association website. Available at: http://www.kidneycancerassociation.org/ .

National Cancer Institute website. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/ .

Revision Information

Reviewer: Mohei Abouzied, MD
Review Date: 09/2012
Update Date: 00/93/2012

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.