World Kidney Cancer Day 2025: Uniting for Progress in the Fight Against Renal Cell Carcinoma

World Kidney Cancer Day is on Thursday, June 19, 2025. This international awareness day is held annually on the third Thursday of June and was established in 2017 by the International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC). Since its inception, the day has become a vital platform for increasing global understanding of kidney cancer and addressing the needs of patients, survivors, and caregivers affected by the disease.

The primary aim of World Kidney Cancer Day is to raise awareness about the growing impact of kidney cancer worldwide. Although kidney cancer is one of the most common cancers globally—ranked among the top fifteen in terms of incidence—it remains under-recognized compared to other major cancers. The initiative seeks to close this awareness gap by educating the public, promoting early detection, supporting access to treatment, and advocating for increased research funding.

Each year, World Kidney Cancer Day focuses on a specific theme that highlights a critical aspect of kidney cancer care or prevention.

The theme for 2025, “Show your kidneys some love”, emphasizes the importance of proactive kidney health. This includes lifestyle choices that support kidney function, regular check-ups for early detection, and fostering supportive environments for those living with or recovering from kidney cancer.

In conjunction with this year’s campaign, the IKCC will host a global Patient and Carer Symposium, providing expert-led sessions focused on education, emotional support, and the latest research developments. The coalition has also made campaign materials available in thirteen languages, ensuring accessibility for patients ith over 430,000 new cases diagnosed and approximately 180,000 deaths recorded worldwide in 2020, the burden of kidney cancer continues to rise.

When Is Kidney Cancer Curable?

If kidney cancer is detected while it’s still localized—meaning the tumor hasn’t spread beyond the kidney—the chances of cure are high. Surgery, either removing the whole kidney (radical nephrectomy) or just the tumor (partial nephrectomy), is the gold standard. The five-year survival rate for patients diagnosed at this stage is an impressive 93% (SEER, 2023). For many of these patients, surgery is curative and no further treatment is needed.

Once the disease extends beyond the kidney, however, the picture becomes more complex. Stage III kidney cancer, where the tumor may invade nearby tissues or lymph nodes, still carries a good outlook with a five-year survival of around 70% (NCCN Guidelines, 2024). In these cases, surgery remains the mainstay of treatment, sometimes combined with adjuvant therapy.

The real challenge lies in Stage IV, when cancer has spread to distant organs. While not considered curable in the traditional sense, advanced RCC has seen a revolution in treatment. Thanks to immunotherapy and targeted drugs, long-term remissions—sometimes lasting years—are now possible for a subset of patients (Motzer et al., 2021).

What’s Changing Survival in Advanced Cases?

Just ten years ago, advanced kidney cancer was often treated with cytokines, which had limited benefits and serious side effects. But today, patients have access to cutting-edge immune checkpoint inhibitors like nivolumab and ipilimumab, and VEGF inhibitors like cabozantinib and axitinib. These therapies help the immune system target cancer cells or cut off their blood supply—and in many cases, they work better together.

The KEYNOTE-564 trial was a breakthrough. It showed that patients who received pembrolizumab (an immune therapy) after kidney cancer surgery had a 32% lower risk of recurrence than those who didn’t (Choueiri et al., 2021). This finding led to a shift in how early but high-risk cases are managed—and offered new hope for keeping the disease at bay.

Dolph Lundgren’s Fight for Life: How He Survived Kidney Cancer After 9 Years of Battle

Behind the tough exterior of Hollywood icon Dolph Lundgren was a private battle few knew about — a stage IV kidney cancer diagnosis that shook his world in 2020. Best known for his legendary action roles, Lundgren faced his greatest challenge with strength and grace, later sharing his journey to inspire others to prioritize their health.

Oncology community shared on their social media pages to raise awareness today:

Kokilaben Hospital, Mumbai:

“Kidney cancer is often called a “silent” disease because it rarely shows symptoms in the early stages. That’s why many people don’t know they have it until it’s more advanced. But knowing the warning signs and risk factors can help detect it early—when treatment is most effective.

In India, kidney cancer is becoming more common, especially in men over 50. As of 2024, over 15,000 new cases are reported annually. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney cancer, and long-term use of certain painkillers.

When caught early, kidney cancer is highly treatable. Surgery is the most common treatment—removing part or all of the affected kidney. Other options include targeted therapy, immunotherapy (which helps your immune system fight cancer), and radiation therapy in select cases.

So today, on World Kidney Cancer Day, take one small step:
Share this post.
Book that checkup.
Keep an eye out for the silent signs.”

Ashok Singhal:

“On World Kidney Cancer Day, we stand united to raise awareness, promote early detection, and strengthen cancer care in Assam. On this day, let’s reaffirm our commitment to fighting kidney cancer – because timely care can turn the tide.”

World Kidney Day:

“Kidney cancer is often silent in its early stages, making early detection challenging. Regular health checks and imaging tests done for other reasons can sometimes reveal it early—potentially saving lives.”

World Kidney Cancer Day 2025 is more than a moment of awareness—it is a call to action. Governments, researchers, clinicians, and advocates must continue to work together to close gaps in care, invest in innovation, and ensure that no one is left behind in the fight against kidney cancer.

Important links:

https://oncodaily.com/oncolibrary/kidney-cancer-cure-rate

https://oncodaily.com/oncolibrary/cancer-types/kidney-cancer

Written by Nare Hovhannisyan, MD