- Home
- Kidney cancer
- Treatment for advanced kidney cancer
- Palliative treatment
Palliative treatment for kidney cancer
In some cases of advanced kidney cancer, the medical team may talk to you about palliative treatment. Palliative treatment helps to improve people’s quality of life by managing the symptoms of cancer without trying to cure the disease. It is best thought of as supportive care.
Many people think that palliative treatment is for people at the end of their life, but it may be beneficial for people at any stage of advanced kidney cancer. It is about living for as long as possible in the most satisfying way you can. Palliative treatment is one aspect of palliative care, in which a team of health professionals aims to meet your physical, emotional, cultural, spiritual and social needs.
As well as slowing the spread of cancer, palliative treatment can relieve pain and help manage other symptoms. Treatments may include radiation therapy, arterial embolisation (a procedure that blocks the blood supply to the tumour) to reduce blood in the urine, targeted therapy or immunotherapy.
For more on this, see Palliative care, Living with advanced cancer, Pain and cancer and Secondary bone 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.
Podcast for people affected by advanced cancer
Listen now
More resources
A/Prof Daniel Moon, Urologic Surgeon, Australian Urology Associates, and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne, VIC; Polly Baldwin, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Ian Basey, Consumer; Gregory Bock, Urology Cancer Nurse Coordinator, WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, North Metropolitan Health Service, WA; Tina Forshaw, Advanced Practice Nurse Urology, Canberra Health Services, ACT; Dr Suki Gill, Radiation Oncologist, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, WA; Karen Walsh, Nurse Practitioner, Urology Services, St Vincents Private Hospital Northside, QLD; Dr Alison Zhang, Medical Oncologist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and Macquarie University Hospital, NSW.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
View all publications or call 13 11 20 for free printed copies.
Need to talk?
Support services
Looking for transport, accommodation or home help?
Practical advice and support during and after treatment
Need legal and financial assistance?
Practical advice and support during and after treatment
Cancer information
Making treatment decisions for advanced cancer
Weighing up the benefits and side effects of treatment
Caring for someone with advanced cancer
The emotional, physical and practical impacts for carers