Some things look best when they come in pairs, like doves, shoes, wings, lungs…
And kidneys
This bean-shaped organ is responsible for filtering and removing waste products from the blood. However, even the kidney is not exempt from the risk of cancer. If kidney cancer is detected, the best and most common treatment is surgically removing the cancerous mass.
Robotic kidney cancer treatment Sydney is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed on partial nephrectomy patients. This surgical method not only preserves kidney function but is less painful with a faster recovery time.
Kidney Cancer in Australia: What Does the Recent Data Say?
According to Cancer Australia’s latest data, an estimated 4,552 new cases of kidney cancer was diagnosed this year, with 3,081 male cases and 1,471 female cases. Kidney cancer is the seventh most diagnosed cancer in Australia and has remained so since 2018.
However, the number of new cases has steadily risen through the years. In 2018, 3,891 new kidney cancer cases rose to 4,552 in 2022. According to researchers and doctors, using state-of-the-art imaging tests like CT scans is responsible for increasing kidney cancer cases.
While there are no early signs or symptoms of kidney cancer, these powerful imaging technologies often discover kidney masses while scanning the surrounding area.
What Do We Know About Kidney Cancer?
RCC or Renal Cell Carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer, also known as renal cell adenocarcinoma. Cancerous growth mostly starts in the kidney’s nephrons and then spreads with time.
Unfortunately, kidney cancer does not show symptoms or signs in the early stages. It often gets diagnosed when the patient sees the doctor for other medical reasons. However, you can see the following symptoms in the later stages of cancer:
- Change in urine colour like dark or brown
- Blood in urine
- Pain on the side or lower back which is not a result of any injury
- Constantly feeling tired
- Lump in abdomen
- Fever that is not caused by flu or cold
- Unexplained weight loss
What are Your Options for Treating Kidney Cancer?
The main course of treatment for eliminating early-stage kidney cancer is surgery. Depending on the severity of tumour growth and your health condition, here is the surgical procedure you can opt for.
Partial Robotic Nephrectomy
This surgical procedure removes only the cancerous growth from the kidney. In the robotic kidney cancer treatment Sydney, the surgeon removes only the portion of the kidney where the cancerous tumour has grown, leaving the rest of the organ untouched.
Furthermore, most of the kidney is also surgically repaired to ensure normal urine and blood flow post-operation. The robotic surgical procedure is known as “kidney-sparing” or “nephron-sparing” surgery.
In robotic partial nephrectomy, the surgeon will make multiple keyhole-sized incisions on the side of the abdomen instead of a large cut measuring several inches. This surgical procedure is only performed on small-sized tumours on the upper or lower kidney pole.
Through robotic kidney surgery, surgeons can keep the amputation to a minimum and preserve 60 to 80 per cent of the normal kidney. Traditional procedures demand partial nephrectomy be performed through a large flank incision that requires the patient to stay in the hospital for a week to 10 days.
However, patients are released after just a few days of observation with robotic kidney surgery and can return to their daily activities. This surgery is also used for performing minimally invasive pyeloplasty to repair any obstructions on the pelvic ureteric junction that controls the urine outflow from the kidney.
Benefits of Opting for Robotic Kidney Surgery
There are many benefits of going for a partial robotic nephrectomy. However, the primary reason is that it helps preserve most of the kidney by making keyhole incisions to remove the tumour.
While it is possible to survive with one kidney, it is better to have two in case of an accident, injury, or if one kidney starts deteriorating due to co-morbidities or advanced age. Two kidneys also reduce the risk of dialysis in future.
Compared to traditional surgical options, robotic surgery has faster recovery rates where the patient is only required to stay back for a few nights. In traditional surgery, doctors often discharge patients 7 to 10 days after the surgery. Moreover, the small incisions in robotic surgery ensure that the patient has minimal scarring and can return to their daily life soon.
While Robotic partial surgery is a great option and preferred by most, it depends on the doctor’s assessment to recommend it.
The Bottomline
Regarding your options for treating kidney cancer, it is best to consult a urologist and go forward. Hopefully, you have a clear about robotic kidney cancer treatment Sydney from this article. Contact your doctor today to take the first step towards recovery.