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I have metastatic kidney cancer

Radiotherapy for kidney cancer

Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to target and shrink kidney cancer cells. It’s often used to relieve symptoms or treat cancer that has spread.

Related topics for further reading

Living with kidney cancerOther resources on kidney cancer

Radiotherapy uses strong rays, like X-rays, to target and damage the DNA inside cancer cells. This makes it hard for the cancer cells to grow and divide, causing them to die.

Radiotherapy (or radiation therapy) isn’t commonly used to treat kidney cancer because it doesn’t work as well for this type of cancer. However, it may be used in certain cases, such as:

  • To ease symptoms: If kidney cancer has spread to other parts of the body, like the bones, and is causing pain, radiotherapy can help lessen the pain and make you feel better.
  • After surgery: Sometimes, radiotherapy is used after surgery to make sure all cancer cells are gone, but this is not usually needed for kidney cancer.
  • For hard-to-reach tumours: If the tumour is in a difficult place to treat with surgery, radiotherapy might be used to shrink it.

In many cases, radiotherapy is used along with other treatments, like surgery, immunotherapy, or antiangiogenic therapy, to get the best results.

This chapter contains general information about radiotherapy for kidney cancer. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider for guidance on your individual medical situation.

Last updated: May 2025

Other possible treatments

Cytoreductive nephrectomy for kidney cancerPartial nephrectomy for metastatic kidney cancerImmunotherapy for kidney cancerAntiangiogenic therapy for kidney cancerRadiotherapy for kidney cancer

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