Message from the Directors
Message from the Directors of the Renal Tumor Program
We would like to take the time to welcome you to our Renal Tumor Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a major teaching hospital of Harvard University. Our program offers a full spectrum of medical, surgical, and supportive care for patients with renal tumors. While not every renal tumor is malignant, our nationally-recognized team of doctors, nurses, and researchers has cared for hundreds of patients with both localized and metastatic kidney cancer. We are one of the few centers in the Northeast with a multidisciplinary team dedicated to treating this disease. Moreover, BIDMC is home to the largest grant from the federal government for kidney cancer research and provides patients with access to the most cutting-edge therapies through a long list of clinical trials.
When you or your doctor calls for an appointment, one of our administrators will gather your medical information. It is then reviewed by a member of our physician staff who will organize your visit. During your initial visit, you will be seen by both a kidney surgeon and a medical oncologist on the same day. You may also meet clinical fellows, nurses, and a clinical research assistant. Following your visit, we may recommend further testing, imaging (X Rays), biopsy, surgery, or medical treatments, depending on your situation. Also, most cases are then discussed in our weekly multidisciplinary conference. This combines the expertise of surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists all in one room.
With regard to surgery, we specialize in minimially invasive treatments for both small and large kidney tumors. Our surgeons regularly perform laparoscopic partial nephrectomy and laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for even advanced tumors. Additionally, we were the first center in New England to offer completely non-surgical treatment of kidney tumors using Cyberknife radiosurgical technology, avoiding the need for invasive surgery in appropriately selected patients.
Patients with more advanced disease are often candidates for systemic treatment using the latest immunologic therapies such as interleukin-2, targeted therapies, and tumor vaccine trials. All of these options will be clearly described to you in easy-to-understand language by our team.
Thank you for choosing our team to assist you during this very stressful time. It is our honor to help care for you. If at any time you or your referring physician have questions about your care, please feel free to contact one of us directly for an answer.
Sincerely,
David F McDermott, MD and Andrew A Wagner, MD
Co-Directors, Renal Tumor Program
