Kidney cancer has the unusual ability to use blood vessels as channels for growth. In about 15% of cases, the tumor grossly invades the veins responsible for carrying filtered blood from the kidneys directly to the heart, including the inferior vena cava (IVC), the body’s largest vein – a condition known as tumor thrombus. A dangerous complication, the only treatment option for decades has been surgery, but it is associated with generally poor outcomes. Further, half of patients who survive the procedure go on to develop metastatic disease. With little to no treatment advancement made in the last 50 years, this CenterTimes plus article spotlights the efforts of UTSW clinicians and researchers who set about to change the odds in patients’ favor by investigating the use of highly-targeted radiation to the tumor inside the vein.
Not limiting their efforts to simply exploring new treatment options, UTSW investigators also wanted to understand the biology of this rare and aggressive form of kidney cancer… and why it doesn’t always metastasize. By understanding the determinants of invasion and metastatic competence, we might be able to prevent tumor cells from invading in the first place. ARTICLE
