Support, closeness, sharing: these are the three keywords of the information and awareness campaign on kidney cancer “Side by side”, launched today by MSD Italia with the patronage of the Italian Society of Urology – SIU and the National Association of Kidney Cancer – ANTU.RE. The aim of the initiative is to support patients and caregivers in dealing with the diagnosis and the consequent treatment path, trying to build a support network around them thanks to which they can find trust and comfort.
The campaign sees the realization of the first information portal entirely dedicated to renal cell carcinoma, tumoredelrene.it, where it is possible to find complete, accurate and highly scientific information on the pathology thanks also to the collaboration with the project partners. Numerous contents and insights on risk factors, symptoms, early diagnosis but also on therapeutic opportunities and the daily management of the disease.
“Side by side” will also see an intense social campaign on Facebook (MSDsalute) and Instagram (@msd_salute) with the aim of encouraging dialogue on the topic of kidney cancer and above all of making useful information on the disease available to the public to increase awareness thanks to the great diffusion power of social networks .
“We immediately joined the “Side by Side” campaign – he comments Tonia Cinquegrana, ANTURE President – because specific information on this pathology is very difficult to find. When patients receive the diagnosis, they find it difficult to orient themselves and find a comparison with those who have already had this experience. Sharing, on the other hand, is very useful, it gives courage and provides concrete indications on how to face the therapeutic path and the life change that lies ahead”.
In Italy, renal cell carcinoma it affects 144,000 peoplecon an estimated incidence in 2022 of around 12,600 new casesof which 7,800 men and 4,800 women1. Since often i symptoms of the disease remain silent, more than half of the diagnoses occur randomlyduring tests, usually ultrasound, carried out for other reasons1.
In 55% of patients, the tumor is diagnosed when it is still located in the kidney, resulting in a high overall survival rate1. Timely diagnosis is an essential weapon to effectively attack the disease and have a more favorable prognosis: over 50% of patients diagnosed at an early stage recover2.
In 25-30% of cases, unfortunately, the disease is diagnosed already in an advanced or metastatic stage and requires an appropriate therapeutic approach1.
In case of suspicion of kidney cancer, one of the specialists to contact is theurologistwhich deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the urinary tract radiologistwho performs the required biomedical imaging tests, including ultrasounds and CAT scans, and theoncologist, the doctor who deals with the diagnosis and treatment of tumors3.
“From a therapeutic point of view – says the Prof. Giuseppe Carrieri, SIU President – the tumor of the kidney localized it is treated by the urologist with surgery, removing the entire kidney or part of it if there are small tumors2. In case of metastatic kidney cancerchemotherapy treatments are not very effective and therefore oncologists use targeted therapies e immunotherapy4which help stop the growth of the neoplasm or its spread to other organs5”.
In the fight against kidney cancer it is important to identify the risk factors because avoiding them is the only way to do prevention4: cigarette smoking is the most important and its impact is proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years of exposure. Obesity and arterial hypertension follow6.
Our company has been involved in the field of oncology for many years – he claims Nicoletta Luppi, President and CEO of MSD Italia – and carries forward an advanced and holistic vision in the approach to cancer, working not only on the scientific research of new therapeutic treatments, but also on prevention and correct information. Ours is a mission that is carried out every day thanks to a working environment in which diversity and inclusion are an integral part of the way we operate. It was precisely these values that inspired us to think, together with SIU and ANTURE, of the “Side by Side” campaign which, in addition to guaranteeing accurate information, helps to promote a culture of real inclusiveness”.
Bibliography:
1 AIOM Report 2022, p. 80,
2 AIOM (Italian Association of Medical Oncology), Guidelines – Kidney tumors, Ed. 2021, p. 18,
3 AIMAC (Italian Association of Cancer Patients, Relatives and Friends), “Kidney cancer”, AIMAC’s booklets, n. 26, The Sunflower Necklace, 12-2021, p. 14,
4 AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research, “Kidney cancer”
5 Higher Institute of Health, “Kidney cancer”,
6 AIOM (Italian Association of Medical Oncology), Guidelines – Kidney tumors, Ed. 2021, p. fifteen,