Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in various parts of the kidney. It is a heterogeneous disease, and the broadest distinction is between the classic renal cell carcinoma, which develops relatively peripherally in the part of the kidney responsible for urine production, and carcinoma of the renal pelvis, which is the part responsible for the drainage of urine and is located centrally. Tumors of the renal pelvis share significant similarities with tumors that develop in the ureters or bladder, and more information about these can be found on our related website. This website is dedicated to renal cell carcinoma.
In many cases, kidney cancer is detected while still in its early stages. In these cases, surgical removal leads to a cure for the majority of patients. When the disease has spread to organs outside the kidney, systemic therapy is used, meaning medications that are administered either orally or intravenously. However, this does not mean that surgical treatment cannot benefit many patients. The progress made in the systemic treatment of kidney cancer in recent years is significant and is based on the use of a relatively new class of drugs that "target" specific functions of cancer cells, which is why they are called targeted therapies.
Angiogenesis – the most important therapeutic target in kidney cancer
All tumors require their "own" vascular network, a set of blood vessels that exclusively supply blood to the tumor in order for it to grow and spread. The process of creating this network is called angiogenesis.
Although, as mentioned, angiogenesis is essential for every tumor, in kidney cancer, it is much more important, both for the creation of the initial tumor and for its subsequent development. This is because a gene that regulates angiogenesis activity does not function in most kidney cancers. Thus, the tumor's vascular network multiplies uncontrollably, resulting in tumor growth and creating conditions favorable for metastasis.
In the last 10 years, drugs have been developed that inhibit angiogenesis. Their action results in the regression of the tumor's vascular network and the inhibition of its growth. These drugs are now used in many neoplasms, but kidney cancer is one of the most successful applications, as their use has dramatically improved the outcomes of previous treatments.
