Medical therapy includes a range of anticancer drugs given orally or intravenously. These drugs act by destroying tumor cells or slowing their growth. Types of medications include:

• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy

Interventional radiology is a nonsurgical option for renal cell carcinoma. Our interventional radiologists apply cancer treatment directly to the tumor using several techniques, including:

• Chemoembolization: This procedure uses beads coated with a chemotherapy drug. Your doctor inserts the beads into the artery that feeds the tumor. The beads block blood flow while the drug destroys the cancer cells.
• Tumor ablation: Using a needle or probe inserted into the tumor, we apply microwaves, heat, or cold to destroy it. 

Radiation therapy destroys cancer cells and slows the growth of tumors using high-energy X-rays. Types of radiotherapy used to treat VHL-related tumors include:

• External beam therapy
• Intensity-modulated radiotherapy
• Stereotactic radiosurgery

Stereotactic radiosurgery is a precise treatment that delivers an intense dose of radiation to the tumor while limiting exposure to surrounding tissues. Stanford Health Care pioneered this technology and treated the first patient with this state-of-the-art radiosurgery system, the CyberKnife, in 1994. Ours is among the most experienced centers in the world using stereotactic radiosurgery to treat patients with hemangioblastomas. 

Depending on the type of tumor, surgery may be the most effective treatment. The goal of surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Your doctor may combine surgery with other treatments, such as medical or radiation therapy.

For brain and spinal cord tumors, our neurosurgeons use microsurgical procedures whenever possible. During microsurgery, we use tiny instruments and a surgical microscope to remove tumors while limiting damage to the surrounding tissue.

For tumors in the kidney, adrenal gland and pancreas, our surgeons use laparoscopic and robotic-assisted procedures whenever possible. These procedures are less invasive than open surgery and shorten your recovery time.