Kidney Cancer Treatment

Kidney cancer is a cancer that occurs in the cells of the kidney. As with all cancers, kidney cancers begin small and the growth of cancerous cells increase in size over time. Kidney cancers usually grow as a single mass but more than one tumour may occur in one or both kidneys. These tumor masses can be either benign or malignant. Just like other cancers, benign cancers do not spread to other parts of the body.

Naturopaths adopt a holistic approach to healthcare. One important aim of a naturopath is to educate, empower and support the patient to assist them obtain optimal health. Through education, the patient will then be able to take a more active role in their health care. Naturopathy or wellness practitioners teach their patients to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and cutting edge natural therapies to enhance their bodies’ ability to ward off and combat disease. Naturopathic doctors view the patient as a complex, whole system. Naturopathic doctors craft comprehensive treatment plans that blend the best of modern medical science and traditional natural medical approaches to not only treat disease, but to also restore health. 

Naturopath Philosophy

The word “naturopathy” is a broad term used to describe a natural medicine physician trained in the areas of western herbal medicine and natural therapies. The practice of naturopathy is also known as alternative medicine, integrative medicine or natural therapies in Australia. Naturopathy includes a multimodality approach, incorporating nutrition (which includes diet and lifestyle modification and vitamin and mineral therapy), herbal medicine, homeopathy and iridology. Iridology is often used as a diagnostic aid to compliment the other tools. Physical therapies may also be employed, including therapeutic massage and remedial massage. A naturopath should be eclectic, using a mixture of these therapies, or specialise in one or more. The key is to tailor the consultation and treatment to the individual patient.

Types of kidney cancer 

Around 85% of kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas. These cancers begin to grow in the lining of one or both kidneys. Without treatment, this type of cancer can spread to other parts of your body.

Other (less common) types of kidney cancer include:

• Transitional cell carcinoma – starts in the join between the kidney and its ureter (the tube that drains urine from the kidney into the bladder)
• Renal sarcoma – a rare type of kidney cancer   
• Wilm’s tumour – a rare type of kidney cancer that affects children  

Natural Remedy Treatment options

The symptoms expressed by an individual in a state of disease are produced by the body in an attempt to heal.  The naturopath’s first task is to identify any factors in the patient’s diet,lifestyle or environment that may be contributing to the problem and to assist in removing them.  If any therapy is given, it should aid the body to assist the body to balance again into a state of health.  The naturopathic approach aims where possible not just to remove the symptoms but also to remove the reason for the symptoms.

Contact the clinic to speak with a naturopath or make an appointment.

Cancer Growth

When cancer first develops, a malignant tumour is confined to its original tissue place in the body. When cancer is treated in its early stages, the potential for cure of the cancer can be much better than at a later stage of growth. If malignant tumor cells are not treated, they may spread into surrounding tissue (metatsise) such as the lymph glands and to other parts of the body. When these cells reach a new site they may continue to grow and form another tumour at that site.

When treating Kidney cancer, it is recommended that diet, lifestyle, nutrition and even herbal medicine is all used to optimise the best possible outcome. Biobran or Ribraxx powder is one such herbal medicine preparation from Japan which has an increasing amount of supportive evidence to suggest it is beneficial in the treatment of kidney cancer and other tumor cancers.

Kidney Cancer Prognosis

The worldwide statistics indicate that over 100,000 people die of kidney cancer each year. According to the ABS in Australia, Kidney cancer caused 855 deaths in 2007 (539 men, 316 women) which accounts for 2% of all cancer deaths. The 5-year relative survival for kidney cancer has improved over the past 20 years from less than 50% in 1984 to 66% in the period 1998-2004.

For more information or to speak with a naturopath, please contact the clinic.

Consultations are available Australia wide in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane via skype or telephone. 

Kidney Cancer Risk Factors

According to the Victoria government department of health, there are several factors that may increase your risk including:  

• Cigarette smoking – around one in three cases may be due to smoking
• Genetic coding – some people inherit a faulty gene, which puts them at a higher risk of developing kidney cancer
• Mild pain-killing drugs – such as overuse of painkillers containing phenacetin. This chemical is not used in modern painkillers. However, people who took painkillers containing phenacetin in large quantities before it was banned may still be affected. There is also early stage research suggesting that other painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and 'non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs' (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Nurofen) may slightly increase the risk of kidney cancer. Researchers say it’s unlikely occasional use or low dose use would be harmful
• Obesity – having a waist circumference of 100cm or greater could increase your risk
• Exposure to the chemicals asbestos or cadmium – this applies to some people who were exposed to these substances in their jobs
• People with kidney disease needing regular dialysis – dialysis is a procedure used on people with kidney failure. Dialysis is a technique that removes extra water and waste products from your body, which is what your kidneys would normally do. The longer you are on dialysis the greater your risk of getting kidney cancer. The increased risk is most likely due to the kidney disease and not directly with dialysis

Hair Mineral Analysis Testing

The Cura clinic uses this important test for patients to assess nutrition levels and toxic load in the tissue. The Hair mineral analysis (HMA) is a safe, non-invasive test that measures levels of elements and ratios of nutrients found in hair.  

Hair Mineral Analysis (HMA) can detect whether there is an excess or deficiency of vital nutrient minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc and iron. It can also identify over-exposure to heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic or aluminium and is therefore used for heavy metal testing. HMA is an invaluable screening tool in both every day and preventative health care.  

Assessment of a patient's elemental status is essential in optimising health and to assist with a correct diagnosis. For more information you can read the HMA page..