Often overlooked and asymptomatic, kidney cancer is considered one of the so-called “complex” cancers. Designated a “referral center” by the National Cancer Institute (INCa), Gustave Roussy treats this type of tumor and also conducts research to develop new treatments.

When a cell in the kidney multiplies uncontrollably, a tumor develops. In most cases, the cancer originates in the parenchyma—the tissue responsible for kidney function—and is called renal cell carcinoma. Because it presents few symptoms, kidney cancer may be discovered only by chance during tests performed for other reasons. As a result, in one-third of cases, the diagnosis is made at an advanced stage, when metastases are already present.

Treatments Tailored to the Stage of the Disease

When the cancer is localized, the standard treatment is surgery. A nephrectomy is then performed. This procedure involves removing part or all of the kidney, as necessary, to remove the tumor while preserving kidney function as much as possible.

In cases of metastasis or to prevent recurrence, an innovative targeted therapy—known as anti-angiogenic therapy—may be prescribed. Its goal is to combat tumor growth by blocking the formation of new blood vessels that supply cancer cells. This targeted therapy has improved the effectiveness of treatments, but none of them yet guarantees complete remission. The goal, therefore, is to slow and control the progression of the disease.

Research Programs on Metastatic Kidney Cancer

“The goal of this research is to identify other drugs capable of overcoming the resistance the disease has developed to current treatments, in order to improve patient survival,” says Dr. Laurence Albiges, a urologist and head of the urology committee at Gustave Roussy. “The highly dedicated teams at Gustave Roussy are developing innovative research programs on targeted therapies for kidney cancer as well as immunotherapy, because we know that the immune system plays an important role in treating these cancers.” Two new drugs were compared in patients whose previous treatment had failed. Both showed very promising results, demonstrating superior efficacy compared to the current standard of care, both in terms of survival and quality of life.

"These are truly two drugs that will become very important in the therapeutic arsenal for metastatic kidney cancer; one is an immunotherapy, nivolumab, and the other, cabozantinib, which tends to overcome resistance to anti-angiogenic agents,” explains Dr. Bernard Escudier, an oncologist specializing in genitourinary tumors and one of the physician-researchers who participated in these two very encouraging studies.

Kidney Cancer by the Numbers

• 11,000 new cases per year, including 4,000 at a metastatic stage
• Average age at diagnosis: 65 years
• At Gustave Roussy, nearly 30% of patients with metastatic kidney cancer are enrolled in a clinical trial

Learn More

• Kidney Cancer Care at Gustave Roussy