Radiation Therapy for Renal Cell Cancer

This content has been reviewed and approved by

Robert J. Motzer, MD
Attending Physician

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. External beam radiation therapy uses radiation that it delivers to the cancer from a source outside the body. Doctors may use radiation therapy as your main treatment for kidney cancer if surgery is not possible.

Also, radiation therapy may ease your symptoms—such as pain, bleeding, or problems connected with metastasis (the spread of your cancer)—for a while. Unfortunately, renal cell cancer is not very sensitive to radiation. Although radiation may slow the cancer's growth, this therapy cannot destroy the cancer completely.

The side effects of radiation therapy may include mild skin changes (similar to sunburn), nausea, diarrhea, or tiredness. Often these side effects go away after a short time. Chest radiation therapy may cause lung damage and lead to difficulty breathing and shortness of breath. The side effects of radiation therapy to the brain usually become most serious 1 or 2 years after treatment and may include headache and difficulty thinking.