#UroOncInCharge Kidney Cancer

The 1^st to the 5^th of February is Kidney Cancer Awareness Week, which ends on ‘Green Friday’ when individuals wear something green and buildings are lit up green to highlight kidney cancer. Kidney cancer does not have obvious symptoms or a tumour marker to test to confirm diagnosis. Kidney cancer is the seventh most common cancer accounting for over 3% of all new diagnosis in 2012.¹ Approximately 70% of kidney cancer cases are early localised or locally advanced at diagnosis, these patients will have a 90% 5-year survival rate. However, those diagnosed with metastatic disease this falls rapidly to 10% over 5 years.² Novel immune checkpoint inhibitors appear to reduce the risk of recurrence of kidney cancer, reducing morbidity of these patients.³ Yet there remains much to learn about kidney cancer to reduce this further. These patients need emotional and financial support, the mean age for these individuals is early 60’s. We are seeing many younger patients, with Afro-Caribbean’s at higher risk, reasons to why are unknown!⁴ Charities like Macmillan, Maggie’s and Kidney Cancer UK can really help these individuals. These charities provide emotional support, counselling sessions for free, grants, peer support, financial assistance and much more, alongside the key worker role of the CNS. If you work in urology to log on to KCUK and sign up for their free course on kidney cancer. If you are interested but not working in urology, please contact them directly via their webpage HERE 

Objectives of this session:

To know the symptoms of kidney cancer.

To be able to identify controllable risks, to reduce the chance of getting kidney cancer.

Introduction to Tumour, Node, Metastases (TNM) staging and to be able to identify types of kidney cancer.

To be aware of the main treatments to cure kidney cancer.

To be aware of the changing landscape of therapies that control kidney cancer for metastatic patients. (Targeted therapies changed the landscape and improved prognosis. Recently immunotherapies have been found to remarkably effective).

To compare side effect profiles of targeted therapies and immunotherapies.  

References.

¹ Wong, M et al. Incidence and mortality of kidney cancer: temporal patterns and global trends in 39 countries. (2017) Nature- Scientific Reports (7) available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-15922-4

²Noble, H and Page, K. (2012) Renal cell cancer:nurses’ role in prevention and management. British Journal of Nursing(Oncology Supplement) 21 (17).

³Port, C et al. The adjuvant treatment of kidney cancer: a multidisciplinary outlook. (2019) Nature. (15) 423-433.  

⁴Sims, J et al. (2018) Racial disparities and preventive measures to renal cell carcinoma. International journal of environmental research and public health 15 (6) 1089.

https://www.kcuk.org.uk/kidney-awareness-week-2021/

Uro-onc Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) team

Michelle Greenwood graduated from City University in 2008 and worked on a solid oncology ward at St Bart’s until 2010, moving into district nursing for 6 months after that. Then Michelle moved into a research sister role for urology oncology for 3 years followed by 7 months working in an Ocular Melanoma CNS role. In 2014 Michelle moved into the Uro-Onc CNS role taking over from Wendy Ansell, the first Macmillan Uro-Onc CNS in England. Within this role is an attached lead cancer Teenage, Young Adult (TYA) CNS role, as the germ cell practice incorporates 19 to 25 year olds, who may have additional care needs. Holds numerous courses including Physical Assessment and Clinical Reasoning and is due to start her MSc.

Shievon Smith graduated from London Southbank University 2002.6/12 on infection control ward at Whipps Cross Hospital then moved to Accident and Emergency on a staff nurse development programme. Spent 2 years working for the Royal College of Nursing as an Assistant Officer at London region, then back to ED. In 2013 changed career to Urology then Uro-oncology in 2014.Graduated from The Royal Marsden school (UEA) in 2017 with a BSc (Hons) inCancer Care. Joined St Bart’s to care of metastatic Uro-Onc patients later that same year.

Daniel Richardson graduated from University of Hertfordshire with a Psychology BSc in 2013. Then changed direction into nursing graduating from City University in 2017. Began career at The Royal Marsden on a private male ward caring for surgical patients for urology and GI, caring for patients post bladder and prostate surgery, including pelvic exenterations. June 2020 joined the St Bart’s team to transition from surgical to metastatic Uro-Onc patient centred care, in a CNS training post.