Innovative, Minimally Invasive Surgery Delivers Kidney Cancer Cure for Patient Kim Thomas
Kim Thomas thought there must’ve been a mistake when her primary care provider called with the results of the routine bloodwork she had done in July 2025.
“Before I went in, I didn’t have any symptoms,” she said. “I just had my usual, once-a-year physical, and the bloodwork was what caught it.”
After a few more questions, he ordered additional imaging, which revealed two large tumors, one on each kidney. From there, he referred her to an oncologist, who would diagnose her with an aggressive form renal cell carcinoma.
At this point, Kim expected to have a difficult road ahead of her.
Her oncologist recommended emergency surgery to remove both her kidneys, which would cure her cancer but leave Kim in need of dialysis three times per week for the foreseeable future. She would have a place on the organ donation waiting list for a new kidney, but the waiting list for conditions like hers can stretch for years.
The news left Kim feeling extremely pessimistic, but instead of giving up, she decided to seek a second opinion from UI Health urologic surgeon Dr. Simone Crivellaro.
Dr. Crivellaro specializes in robotic, minimally invasive procedures to treat urologic conditions, including kidney cancer. UI Health’s status as a worldwide leader in robotic surgery — and one of the first institutions worldwide to offer surgical solutions for unique and difficult cases, such as Kim’s.
“I remember the day Kim showed up in my clinic. She had a very complex oncological situation, and she was looking for a solution,” Dr. Crivellaro said. “Our goal was to try to save both of her kidneys, and at the same time, deal with her cancer.”
Dr. Crivellaro’s plan included a series of advanced surgeries known as single-port robotic partial nephrectomies. The procedures would happen one at a time, about a month apart from each other, and would allow surgeons to remove only the affected part of Kim’s kidneys, while preserving their function.
That was all Kim needed to hear.
She scheduled her first surgery for August, and within two days of the operation, she was at home, on her feet, and cancer-free in her left kidney. A few weeks later, she was back in the UI Health operating room for her second surgery, which produced the same cancer-free results.
“The care I received at UI Health was top-notch,” Kim said. “If I didn’t go through with this surgery I wouldn’t have been able to see my youngest grandson, and he’s a year-and-a-half, so I feel very good. I’m thankful to be here.”
