Steps to Take After a Kidney Cancer Diagnosis
Research shows many benefits of being an active member of the treatment team.

“When a patient gets diagnosed with kidney cancer, they most certainly are scared,” says Joseph Pazona, MD, urologist in Nashville, TN. “You can also have anxiety, frustration, and even anger at your situation.”
One of the ways to deal with these emotions is to become an active member of your treatment team—even before the treatment starts. There are a number of ways to get organized and make sure you know what to expect during your treatment.
Research shows that patients with cancer who are more involved in their treatment—such as by researching their condition, asking questions, and participating in the decision-making process—are more likely to feel empowered and less stressed during treatment. In many cases, it can even result in better treatment outcomes.
After a kidney cancer diagnosis, the following three steps may be beneficial:
1. Make sure you understand your specific diagnosis
“The first step you should take after receiving a diagnosis of kidney cancer is ... make sure you understand what your doctor just told you,” says Dr. Pazona. “This is new information. You're probably scared. Make sure you ask good questions, and truly understand what it is that you have, and what treatment options are available.”
Consider asking your doctor questions like:
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What type of kidney cancer do I have?
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Where is the cancer located?
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What is the stage / grade of the cancer, and what does that mean for me?
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Will I need other tests before we can decide on treatment?
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Do I need to see any other doctors or health professionals?
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What are my treatment options?
Consider bringing a friend or family member along to help you listen, or even to take notes, just so you can have a second set of ears.
2. Ask about all your treatment options
There are many ways to treat kidney cancer. If it hasn’t spread to other parts of the body, surgery may be one of the best options, in which part or all of the affected kidney is surgically removed.
But if surgery isn’t the best option—or if the cancer has spread beyond the kidneys—your treatment may also include targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Targeted therapy is medications that block certain things in the body that are helping the cancer grow, and immunotherapy is medications that help the body’s own immune system better recognize and attack cancer cells. Learn more about what immunotherapy is here.
3. Care for your mental health
Major depressive disorder affects about 1 in 4 people with cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Even more patients experience general changes to their mental health and mood due to the stress and uncertainty of a cancer diagnosis.
“Whenever you hear what I call ‘the C word’ or cancer, it's going to bring up a lot of emotions,” says Dr. Pazona. “It's important to address these emotions and make sure you verbalize them to your loved ones and whoever else is in your support system.”
Managing your mental health during cancer treatment has many benefits, such as reducing symptoms of mental illness, improving your quality of life, and potentially even improving your treatment outcome. For example, if depression is hurting your appetite, you might accidentally lose weight, which can make cancer treatments less successful.
Many oncology facilities will offer psychosocial support, but there are also things you can do on your own to care for your mental health during cancer treatment, such as talking with loved ones, practicing meditation, using deep breathing exercises, or trying medications for depression.
“Let your doctor know if you're struggling with this. We're here for you,” says Dr. Pazona. “No matter what it is you need, we can get you help, whether that's in counseling, therapy, medication. Anything we can do to help relieve any fears or anxieties that you may have, please let us know.”
Dr. Pazona is a urologist in Nashville, TN.
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(Dr. Pazona) When a patient gets diagnosed with kidney cancer,
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they most certainly are scared,
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and it's our job as healthcare providers to provide them
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with reassurance.
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In many cases, these cancers can be cured.
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You can also have anxiety, frustration,
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and even anger at your situation,
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so it's really important that you voice these emotions
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so both your healthcare provider and your loved ones
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can help be the support you need.
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(Narrator) One way to help yourself cope with the diagnosis
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is to become an active player in your treatment team.
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Research shows that those who are involved in their treatment
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feel more empowered and less stressed
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during the treatment process than those who are not.
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So it's very important to understand
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what is the stage of the tumor, meaning how big is it?
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How advanced is it?
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Is it something that is gonna require treatment,
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or can we follow it closely?
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Lastly, what sort of treatment's gonna be best
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for your type of cancer?
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Is it gonna involve surgery? Immunotherapy?
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Or a combination thereof?
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Kidney cancer is typically treated
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with a surgical removal of the tumor.
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When we decide what surgery is best,
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we have to look at the size and location of the tumor,
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as well as take into consideration how healthy a patient is.
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What other surgeries have they had?
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How well their kidneys work?
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So it's important to go to an expert who has experience
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in the surgical treatment of kidney cancers,
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and in some cases, you may need immunotherapy
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if it appears that the cancer has spread outside the kidney.
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Whenever you hear 'cancer,'
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it's gonna bring up a lot of emotions,
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and it's important to address these emotions
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and make sure you verbalize them to your loved ones
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and whoever else is in your support system.
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It's not gonna help your body if you are stressed and anxious
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about this, especially if there's some great options
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that can help you.
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So let your doctor know if you're struggling with this.
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We're here for you, and no matter what it is you need,
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we can get you help, whether that's in counseling,
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therapy, medication, anything we can do to help
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relieve any fears or anxieties that you may have.
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Please let us know.
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Depression. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2020. (Accessed on May 13, 2020 at https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/emotional-mood-changes/depression.html.)
Patient education: renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer)(beyond the basics). Waltham, MA: UpToDate, 2020. (Accessed on May 13, 2020 at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/renal-cell-carcinoma-kidney-cancer-beyond-the-basics.)
Questions to ask about kidney cancer. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society. (Accessed on May 13, 2020 at https://www.cancer.org/cancer/kidney-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/talking-with-doctor.html.)