Chemo for kidney cancer?

Hi Everyone,

It's me again.  My husband had a kidney removed 1 1/2 yrs ago.  He had mets to the lungs and went on Sutent for a year.  He got along OK until June showed the cancer had spread to the brain.  He opted for the full brain radiation.  By July he could hardly get out of bed and then he quit eating.  He went for almost 2 months with no food (or any medication), only water.  He was on hospice and we were expecting the worst any day.  Then, they changed his anti-depressant med and started him on a steroid.  A week later he started eating (and eating and eating) then getting up, then walking around.  I know the steroid probably had him eating again, but after the FBR he was on this med and it did nothing.  He went off Hospice 2 weeks ago.  His Dr wants to start him on "chemo" next week.  The drug is Temsirolimus (Torisel).  I thought there was no chemo for kidney cancer.  Has anyone done this?  Is it new?  Please let me know if you have any experiences with this.  Bookmum Sue

My husband was diagnosed with RCC last June 2008 . Tumor in his right kidney with mets to lung. He had his kidney removed Sept.2008 and was on Sutent, Nexavar and now on a chemo infusion of Gemzar along with Sutent. It has been a long bumpy road. He has been in bed now for 5 months with only brief periods of feeling well enough to leave the house, as of his last scan a month ago, the tumors were stable and some were shrinking but the chemo was hard on his one kidney. Creatine levels were 3.0 and up so the dr. reduced the chemo 20%. He is feeling a little bit better. Also has a catherer in his lung which is drained everyday. This has been an awful year for all of us but we keep plugging along. My husband is 62 and this has taken its toll on him. We do not know what tomorrow brings. I am concerned about the "quality of life" he has now. I hope your husband will do well on the chemo. Stay strong and positive. His drs. here at mdanderson said that they are seeing some effective results with chemo.

Hi Sue

Actually TORISEL has been available for several years is not technically Chemo it is classified as cellular therapy. It is an mTOR inhibitor, mTOR is a protein found inside the body’s cells that plays a role in cell growth and division. By inhibiting mTOR, TORISEL blocks the processes through which both normal cells and cancerous kidney cells grow and divide. Sutent, Nexavar and Afinitor are also cellular therapy, although they work differently they all have different side effects and effectiveness. Statically they are all effective but not to the same degree and not for any given patient.  Since I was first diagnosed with RCC there have many new treatments and with each new treatment new opportunities. Yes, the side effects can be miserable however, I am not excited with the alternative. There may come a time when I reach end stage but until then I intend to keep trying each new treatment when the old one stops being useful.

Tom