As regards the cases of kidney cancer, if the diagnosis is made early, one out of two cases is curable.
Every year in Italy 12,600 new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed and 50% of patients whose disease is identified early recover. However, the discovery of the tumor often occurs by chance. To find out about risk factors, symptoms and available therapies, the social campaign is starting Side by sidewhich provides for the creation of the first information portal entirely dedicated to renal cell carcinoma, tumoredelrene.it.
Kidney cancer, the importance of early diagnosis
“The specific information on this pathology – he explains Tonia Cinquegrana, president of the National Kidney Cancer Association – is very difficult to find. When patients receive the diagnosis, they find it difficult to orient themselves and to find a comparison with those who have already had this experience”.
Little is known too of risk factors: among these, cigarette smoking represents the most important and its impact is proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked every day and to the number of years of exposure. Obesity and arterial hypertension follow. Approximately 144,000 people in Italy are affected by it and in 55% of patients the diagnosis occurs when the tumor is still located in the kidney and this makes the prognosis more favorable. Since the symptoms of the disease often remain silent, however, over half of the diagnoses occur randomly, during ultrasound checks carried out for other reasons and in 30% of cases, unfortunately, the disease is instead diagnosed already in an advanced or metastatic stage. Launched by Msd Italia, the campaign also aims to support patients and caregivers in tackling the treatment path.
“From a therapeutic point of view – he says Joseph Carrieri, president of the Society of Urology – localized kidney cancer is treated by removing the entire organ or part of it if there are small tumors. In the case of metastatic kidney cancer, chemotherapy treatments are not very effective and therefore oncologists use targeted therapies and immunotherapy”.
“We carry forward an advanced and holistic vision in the approach to tumors – he says Nicoletta Luppi, president and managing director of Msd Italia – and, working not only on the scientific research of new therapeutic treatments, but also on prevention and correct information. It was precisely these values that inspired us when thinking about the ‘Side by Side’ campaign to guarantee accurate information and promote inclusiveness”.