While there have been advances in the treatment of kidney cancer, nearly 14,000 individuals die each year from this disease. The UCLA Kidney Cancer Program participates in novel clinical and basic research to find new treatment options. Two principles guide our research program 1) every patient is an opportunity to learn and help others and 2) clinical trials may offer tomorrow’s treatments (cures) today. We offer research protocols to every patient ranging from tissue/blood collection during routine care to learn about the disease to systemic (medical) therapy clinical trials when traditional medication may not be sufficient.
Many of our trials offer patients a more aggressive treatment approach to combat their disease. The majority of our protocols offer patients an existing standard medication plus an additional novel treatment option with the goal that this improves outcomes. Our team has participated in various trials that have led to FDA approval, providing our patients with medications years before available in the community.
If you are interested in finding out more about these protocols, ask a member of the UCLA Kidney Cancer Program team about current trials being conducted at UCLA.