Ken Navatta

Kidney Cancer Patient Stories

Ken enjoys riding his bicycle at the beach.

It didn't seem possible that there could be an upside to having stage 4 renal cancer. But sitting in Dr. Robert Uzzo's office at Fox Chase Cancer Center in August 2010, Ken Navatta and his wife Laura heard that there was plenty of ammunition to fight the cancer that had started in Ken's kidney and moved aggressively to his lungs.  And, that thanks to his otherwise good health and young age (he was 49), Ken was a prime candidate for surgery and treatment.

Ken's journey to Fox Chase started with a stubborn cough in June 2010. An X-ray revealed spots on his lungs. "When the doctor called me, all I could think was, I don't smoke, have never been sick a day in my life.  'What does this mean?'" recalled Ken.

Ken's urologist said, "If I were you, I'd see Dr. Uzzo at Fox Chase."

Ken is truly grateful for his wife, Laura's, support during his ongoing treatment.

So began a dizzying round of CAT-scans and biopsies. Then they got the news that Ken had renal cell carcinoma stage 4 and would be treated with a chemotherapy drug, Sutent, that specifically targets advanced kidney cancer. A urologist who came into his room said 'If I were you, I'd see Dr. Uzzo at Fox Chase.'"

Dr. Uzzo is a surgical oncologist who specializes in treating kidney cancer with minimally invasive laparoscopic and da Vinci® robotic surgery. Fox Chase had already been on Ken and Laura's radar. He researched Dr. Uzzo on the Internet, read about his expertise in minimally invasive procedures, and his patient testimonials. Ken made an appointment for August 2, 2010.

"For the first time, at Fox Chase, we felt there was hope."

That day in Dr. Uzzo's office, Ken and Laura had all their questions answered. "He explained everything, he drew pictures," Ken shared. "We understood that my kidney cancer had spread to my lungs, but that I was a candidate to have my kidney removed laparoscopically.  And that he had an opening August 11.  Nobody had even discussed this with us before.  That's all we needed to hear. I said let's go."

Ken was able to have his pre-admission testing performed following his appointment, saving him another trip back to Fox Chase (he lives two hours away in New Jersey). "I would have driven no matter how far away it was," said Ken. "Dr. Uzzo called me at home the next day to tell me that my blood work looked good for surgery, and that the Sutent was working; the lesions on my lungs were getting smaller and not spreading. That was great news."

In August 2010, Dr. Uzzo performed the delicate surgery to remove Ken's right kidney laparoscopically with minimal incisions. Ken was home three days later and returned to work in three weeks. He continued a course of targeted chemotherapy. Medical oncologist Gary R. Hudes, MD, joined Ken's treatment team, adjusting the levels of the drugs, "turning the screw," as Ken said, who reported that his lesions continue to get smaller.

"At Fox Chase, there is a whole team of people behind you. Dr. Uzzo and Dr. Hudes treated me like family."

"The entire staff, including the technicians and nurses are so caring and compassionate. They really understand," he added. "I can't say enough about Dr. Uzzo," he said. "When he says he treats his patients like family, it's even more than that.  I have nothing but respect and admiration for him and every member of the Fox Chase team."

The day of Ken's surgery, he and Laura met Barbara Klimowicz, the Assistant Director of Pastoral Care. "She was on her way to visit another patient and stopped to meet us. Laura and I both felt a strong connection to her. To this day, whenever we're at Fox Chase, we stop by to see Barbara - and she continues to help us have faith."  

A year after his surgery, in 2011, Ken is continuing his treatment and counting his blessings. "I am part of the Fox Chase family now. Although I'm not fully cured, I am confident that I am receiving the best possible treatment for my disease. I can honestly say I am enjoying my life. I'm back to work, play golf, exercise, ride my bike and most importantly, spend quality time with my wife, family and friends."