What is palliative treatment?
In some cases of advanced kidney cancer, the medical team may talk to you about palliative treatment. This is treatment that aims to slow the spread of cancer and relieve symptoms without trying to cure the disease.
When can palliative treatment help?
You might think that palliative treatment is only for people at the end of their life, but it may help at any stage of advanced cancer. It is about living for as long as possible in the most satisfying way you can.
Types of palliative treatments for advanced kidney cancer
Treatments given palliatively for advanced kidney cancer may include:
- radiation therapy
- arterial embolisation (a procedure that can reduce blood in the urine by blocking the blood supply to the tumour)
- targeted therapy or immunotherapy.
How palliative care supports patients and families
Palliative treatment is one aspect of palliative care, in which a team of health professionals aims to meet your physical, emotional, practical, cultural, social and spiritual needs. The team also provides support to families and carers.
For more on this, see Palliative care and Living with advanced cancer.
→ READ MORE: Life after treatment for kidney cancer
Watch this short video on how palliative treatment aims to manage symptoms and improve people’s quality of life without trying to cure the disease.
More resources
Dr Alarick Picardo, Urologist, Fiona Stanley Hospital, WA (clinical review); Heidi Castleden, Consumer; Donna Clifford, Urology Nurse Practitioner, Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA; Prof Paul De Souza, Medical Oncologist and Professor of Medicine, Nepean Cancer Care Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW; Mike Kingsley, Consumer; Prof Declan Murphy, Urologist and Director of Genitourinary Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Luke O’Connor, Urology Nurse, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; A/Prof Shankar Siva, Radiation Oncologist and Cancer Council Victoria Colebatch Fellow, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; A/Prof Homi Zargar, Uro-Oncologist and Robotic Surgeon, Western Health and Royal Melbourne Hospital, VIC.
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