Kidney Cancer Care Team

Advanced practiced providers have training that is similar to physicians and can see you without your physician. At Fred Hutch, these health care professionals work closely with your medical oncologist in the clinic. There are two types: physician assistants (PAs) and advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs). They help provide and plan your treatment and also help manage the effects of your disease and treatment.

Infusion nurses are registered nurses (RN) who specialize in giving patients intravenous (IV) medications and therapies, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and antibiotic infusions. They also check on patients during infusions, help keep patients comfortable and can respond to any issues that may come up.

This physician oversees your medicine-based treatments. Most people with kidney cancer receive targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Some people get chemotherapy. If watchful waiting is right for you, you will see this physician on a regular schedule to check your health and, if needed, start treatment.
 
Your medical oncologist:

• Sees you during your first visit. They give you an exam and order any tests you need to diagnose or stage your disease.
• Explains what your diagnosis and stage mean and answers your questions.
• Recommends medicine-based treatments to match your specific case. They choose the medicines, doses, schedule and sequence. They also talk with you about the benefits and risks.
• Sees you on a regular schedule to check how your cancer responds to treatment and how you are doing overall.
• Offers you ways to prevent, relieve and cope with side effects of treatment, like medicine to help with nausea.
• Works with the rest of your care team if you need other types of treatment.

Your patient care coordinator works closely with you and your physician. They will schedule your appointments.

This physician treats cancer with radiation. They prescribe and oversee this part of your care. Working with a radiation oncology team, they plan and deliver your treatments.

Your radiation oncologist:

• Sees you if your evaluation shows that radiation therapy is likely to help. If you didn’t need radiation at the start of care but this changes, we arrange for you to see a radiation oncologist then.
• Recommends radiation therapy to match your specific case. They decide the type, dose and schedule. They also talk with you about the benefits and risks.
• Works behind the scenes with other radiation experts. These experts make sure you receive the right dose in the right places (dosimetrist). They also maintain the equipment used (medical physicist).
• Answers your questions about radiation therapy, like why you need it and what to expect.
• Sees you on a regular schedule during radiation therapy to check how your cancer responds and how you are doing overall.
• Offers you ways to prevent, relieve and cope with side effects of treatment. 
• Coordinates with the rest of your care team if you need other types of treatment.

This person sees you when you come in for radiation treatment. They explain your treatment, check your health, answer your questions and help you with side effects.

This person positions you each time you come in for radiation treatment. This ensures your treatment is precise. They also operate the machines that deliver the radiation. 

This physician reads and gives the results of your imaging tests. They also do some types of biopsies.

Your radiologist:

•  Looks for abnormal areas on images from tests like X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and many others.
• “Decodes” the meaning of your images and recommends more imaging, a biopsy or other care if you need it.
• Does a fine-needle biopsy or core biopsy, often guided by an X-ray or ultrasound.
• Works closely with your surgeon to tell exactly where your tumor is and how this affects the type and extent of surgery you need.
• Works with the rest of your care team about tests and treatments you need.

Your nurse manages your care with your physician. They also help with procedures and treatments. Nurses are resources for you and your caregiver. They can answer questions on a wide range of topics, like how to cope with side effects or get other services you need at Fred Hutch.

Many types of supportive care team members are here to help you and your family. They include registered dietitians, physical therapists, pain medicine specialists, psychologists, social workers, spiritual health staff, palliative care specialists, naturopaths and acupuncturists.

Learn more about Supportive Care Services

Urologists specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases of the urinary tract in men and women as well as the reproductive tract in men. This physician is a surgeon, and because surgery is the most common treatment for kidney cancer, this is the provider most patients will see. All UW Medicine urologists are fellowship-trained in urologic oncology, which means they have had extra specialized training in this area. 

Your urologist will:

• Recommend a management plan to match your case. They will explain your options, including surgery. They will also talk with you about the benefits and risks of your options.
• Answer your questions about surgery, like why you need it and what to expect.
• Do your surgery, along with a team that includes an anesthesiologist and nurses.
• See you after surgery to check your healing.
• Offer you ways to prevent, relieve and cope with side effects of surgery.
• Work with the rest of your care team if you need other types of treatment.