Many nephrologists and other healthcare providers (HCPs) have enthusiastically embraced the July 10 presidential executive order titled, “Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative.” The 3 main components include a reduction in the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) rate by 25% by 2030; a substantial increase in home dialysis so that 80% of new ESRD patients can receive…
The benefits of early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are significant, as patients in whom CKD is diagnosed in the early stages have the chance to make lifestyle changes, learn how to manage their disease, and extend their lives while avoiding or postponing the need for dialysis or transplant.
Non-dialysis patients with advanced CKD diagnosed with renal malignancies grapple with the dual threat of renal failure and cancer progression. When choosing between functional or oncologic risks, many patients will ask about renal transplantation. Discussions of this option are complicated by statistical realities: According to UNOS, of nearly 1 million solid organ transplants performed over…
Hyperkalemia, defined as a serum potassium level above 5.3 mmol/L, develops in many patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The abnormality can precipitate serious adverse outcomes, including dysrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, so patients with elevated blood potassium levels may be referred to emergency departments or urgent care facilities for immediate therapy. As a result,…
During a session at the 2019 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (GUCS) held recently in San Francisco, researchers presented findings from phase 3 studies showing that immunotherapy-based combination regimens are superior to sunitinib alone at improving progression-free survival among patients with previously untreated advanced kidney cancer. One study demonstrated improved overall survival. The study presenters concluded that…
With an ever-expanding array of options for treating advanced prostate cancer, it is important to remain focused on the best treatment path for each patient.
Several years ago, I was asked to performa virtual consult on a 48-yearoldChinese business man with acomplex hilar tumor in a solitary kidney.He was advised by some of the best specialistsin his country that the only option wasnephrectomy and hemodialysis. Four yearsafter successful nephron preservation andrecuperation at our center, I visited himand his country. Together,…
