Kidney cancer

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Radiation therapy for kidney cancer

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells. It is sometimes used to treat kidney cancer. Your healthcare team will consider your personal needs to plan the type and amount of radiation, and when and how it is given. You may also receive other treatments.


  • destroy tumours that cannot be safely removed by surgery
  • relieve pain or control the symptoms of advanced kidney cancer (called palliative therapy)

External radiation therapy

During external radiation therapy (also called external beam radiation therapy), a machine directs radiation through the skin to the tumour and some of the tissue around it. It is used to control pain and bleeding from a kidney tumour or symptoms of kidney cancer that has spread to the lungs, brain or bone.

Stereotactic radiotherapy delivers external radiation therapy in very precise amounts to the tumour and surrounding tissue. It gives smaller doses of radiation over a number of treatment sessions until the total dose is given. It is used to destroy early stage kidney tumours or cancer that has spread that cannot be removed by surgery. When there are many kidney cancer tumours in one area, stereotactic radiotherapy may also be used along with surgery to limit the number of surgeries needed.

Side effects





Questions to ask about radiation therapy
