Being diagnosed with kidney cancer is devastating and overwhelming. But with timely proper treatment, it’s possible to achieve the best result and go into remission. To understand which kidney cancer treatment is your best option, a specialist will likely assess the type of your kidney cancer, how much it’s spread within your kidney or to other areas of your body, your overall health, and other factors. The treatment might involve either surgery or medication, or a combination.

Sometimes, such as when a patient is not healthy enough to undergo surgery or has only one kidney, a doctor may suggest radiation therapy, and in rare cases— for an uncommon and aggressive type of kidney cancer or when other treatments have failed — doctors might use chemotherapy, which has been proven to be largely ineffective against most types of kidney cancer.

No matter which treatments your doctor has chosen, it’s likely you’ll develop some side effects. All kidney cancer treatments can lead to changes in your body that can affect the way you feel physically, emotionally, and mentally. So, it’s essential to know all the possible options and their side effects in order to deal with them. Speak with your kidney doctor about it and keep reading to find out about some most common kidney cancer treatments and their side effects:

1. Targeted therapy 

According to the National Cancer Institute, targeted therapy involves using medications or other substances to detect and eliminate cancer cells while avoiding hurting healthy cells (NCI). Targeted medications can have varied effects on different cases, with some people experiencing more severe adverse effects.

These medications act by inhibiting the formation of blood arteries that feed malignancies or tyrosine kinases, which are proteins found in cancer cells that help them proliferate. Some targeted medications can even do both functions. The following are some of the most prevalent side effects of various drugs, according to the ACS:

  • Fatigue 
  • Skin rash
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Blisters on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet 
  • Diarrhea
  • Lack of appetite
  • Change in taste
  • Mouth sores
  • Weight loss
  • Increase in blood sugar
  • Increase in cholesterol levels
  • High blood pressure

Weight loss is one of the most common side effects of targeted drugs, which can be caused by diarrhea, lack of appetite, nausea, and changes in taste, all of which can contribute to a loss of enjoyment in food.

2. Radiation therapy

To eliminate cancer cells, this kidney cancer treatment employs intense rays or particles. According to the American College of Surgeons, doctors may use this procedure when a patient is too sick to undergo surgery or only has one kidney. The following are some of the side effects:

  • Fatigue
  • Skin damage
  • Diarrhea or vomiting
  • Infection

3. Chemotherapy 

Chemotherapy is rarely used to treat kidney cancer since it is not generally sensitive to it. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, has a number of negative effects in the few circumstances where it is used:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Hair loss
  • Increased risk of infection
  • Bleeding or bruising
  • Mouth sores
  • Fatigue

4. Immunotherapy 

The immune system is stimulated to target cancer in this sort of treatment, which is also known as biologic therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are medications that boost the ability of immune cells called cells to attack cancer cells.

Immunotherapy, on the other hand, can cause certain issues. Immunotherapy for kidney cancer has a number of negative effects, including:

  • Skin rash
  • Extreme fatigue 
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Weakness
  • Muscle aches
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea

There are other more significant signs that doctors should be aware of and treat as quickly as possible, such as:

  • Fluid buildup in the lungs
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Kidney damage
  • Intestinal bleeding
  • Rapid heartbeat

5. Kidney surgery 

A nephrectomy, or surgery to remove part or all of the kidney, is commonly used to treat kidney cancer. This operation has a number of adverse effects and dangers, including those that are common with surgery, such as:

  • Infection
  • Pain 
  • Bleeding (which may require a blood transfusion if too much blood is lost)
  • Leakage of urine into the abdomen
  • Kidney failure (if the remaining kidney doesn’t function properly)
  • Targeted therapy