Kevin Kiernan was experiencing a twinge in his side and pain. He went to urgent care and learned he had a massive tumor on his kidney that had grown out of the kidney, up the Vena Cava and into his heart. Kevin was told his cancer was life threatening and an extremely aggressive cancer. Kevin reached out to The Johns Hopkins Brady Urological Institute and within 24 hours he had an appointment with Dr. Phil Pierorazio. Dr. Pierorazio worked together with specialists from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, cardiac surgeons and vascular surgeons to provide Mr. Kiernan with personalized kidney cancer care that ended up saving his life. #KidneyCancer #JohnsHopkins https://www.hopkinsmedicine.or....g/health/conditions-

“I don’t feel like I have cancer.” After his kidney cancer diagnosis, Mike’s immunotherapy treatments allow him to live a normal, happy life spending time with his children and grandchildren. #CIM21 #Immune2Cancer #CancerStory

In 2019, Mike Blevins felt a deep, sharp pain in his side and went to a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma). He called his daughter, a surgical tech, who told him to get a second opinion. The second doctor confirmed the diagnosis, found that cancer had metastasized, and recommended a clinical trial combining two immunotherapies: ipilimumab (Yervoy®) and nivolumab (Opdivo®). After another conversation with his family, Mike decided to enroll and, over the course of 10 months, the tumor shrank from 7.8cm to just about 3cm. After two years of stability, the tumors started to grow again and Mike began a new regimen combining different immunotherapy, pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), with chemotherapy. Recently retired, Mike now enjoys time with his kids and grandchildren, grateful to his family for their lifesaving advice and support along the way. https://www.cancerresearch.org..../patients/immunocomm

This video is part of the 9th Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month™ in June 2021, hosted by the Cancer Research Institute. Help us raise awareness of the lifesaving potential of immunotherapy for all types of cancer. Let's fuel the next scientific discoveries and breakthrough treatments through learning, engagement, and storytelling. https://www.cancerresearch.org/june

Immunotherapy patient stories are part of the Cancer Research Institute's Answer to Cancer Patient Education Program. Established in 1953, the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to harnessing our immune system’s power to control and potentially cure all cancers. Our mission: Save more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. To accomplish this, we rely on donor support and collaborative partnerships to fund and carry out the most innovative clinical and laboratory research around the world, support the next generation of the field’s leaders, and serve as the trusted source of information on immunotherapy for cancer patients and their caregivers. https://www.cancerresearch.org

Cancer Research Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit under EIN 13-1837442. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law.

Your kidneys remove waste from your blood and regulate a healthy balance between water, sodium and minerals in your bloodstream.

"Kidneys filter intoxicants, drugs and waste products out of your blood," says Dr. Scott Cheney, a Mayo Clinic urologic surgeon. "We would actually die within about a week without having good kidney function."

Poor kidney function could mean kidney cancer, but signs or symptoms are rare in its early stages. Patient are sometimes informed about kidney cancer tumors when they are discovered during CT scans or other imaging techniques for unrelated ailments.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Cheney discusses different types of kidney cancers, how smoking can affect the kidneys and why treatment usually involves surgery.
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Learn about kidney health, kidney disease, and related conditions: https://www.kidney.org/atoz

About the National Kidney Foundation:
Fueled by passion and urgency, National Kidney Foundation is a lifeline for all people affected by kidney disease. As pioneers of scientific research and innovation, NKF focuses on the whole patient through the lens of kidney health. Relentless in our work, we enhance lives through action, education and accelerating change.

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#kidneys #kidneystrong #kidneyhealth #heartyourkidneys #mykidneysmylife

Dr. Brad Leibovich, a Mayo Clinic urologic oncologist, describes Mayo Clinic's various treatment options for kidney cancer. For more information on kidney cancer, visit: https://mayocl.in/2kD3ZHm

To request an appointment at Mayo Clinic, visit: https://mayocl.in/2lYscYA

Assistant Professors of Oncology, Eric Kauffman, MD, and Saby George, MD, FACP, discusses kidney cancer treatment options.

Learn more at www.roswellpark.org/cancer/kidney