News Health & Medicine Blood-cell transplants slow kidney cancer By Nathan Seppa August 5, 2003 at 4:43 pm - More than 2 years ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share on X (Opens in new window) X Print (Opens in new window) Print Physicians call renal-cell cancer a silent malignancy because it usually develops in people without producing pain or other symptoms. If the cancer, which seldom responds to drugs, is detected while still confined to a kidney, removing that organ can save a patient. In most cases, however, this stealthy cancer spreads before it’s found and on average, is fatal within a year of diagnosis.