Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most prevalent kidney cancers, constituting approximately 90% of malignancies occurring in the kidneys. Modern medicine has come a long way in understanding RCC, enabling more effective treatment strategies. Although RCC was once deemed a formidable disease due to its relative radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance, recent advancements have resulted in several treatment options that are beneficial and life-prolonging for patients.

One of the most basic treatment methods is surgery, which is the primary choice for small, localized kidney tumors. Procedures such as radical nephrectomy, where an entire kidney is removed along with its surrounding tissue, and partial nephrectomy, whereby only the tumor and some surrounding tissue are removed, demonstrate high efficacy rates for localized cancer stages.

For patients with advanced RCC or those who are not suitable candidates for surgery, targeted therapies have become a cornerstone in RCC treatment. These therapies specifically target the factors that help tumor growth and progression. They include tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as sunitinib and pazopanib, which target the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), ultimately decreasing the tumor's blood supply.

Immunotherapy is another innovative treatment approach that uses drugs to trigger the body's immune system to fight off cancer cells more effectively. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, like nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and ipilimumab, have shown promising results in patients with advanced RCC. They work by blocking the proteins that prevent immune cells from killing cancer cells.

An emerging treatment option is the combination therapy which uses a blend of targeted therapies and immunotherapies. A fine example is the mixture of lenvatinib (a TKI) and pembrolizumab (an immune checkpoint inhibitor). These combinations are now proving to be highly beneficial and have resulted in improved survival rates for advanced RCC patients.

Thanks to the advent of genomics, personalized therapy is becoming a reality. As multiregional sequencing becomes more prevalent, it provides comprehensive genomic profiling of RCC, revealing therapies that may work best on a case-by-case basis.

Significant strides have also been made in the field of radiation therapy. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has proved useful in controlling the growth of localized kidney cancer. SBRT delivers high doses of radiation to the tumor, sparing the surrounding healthy tissues.

In conclusion, RCC treatment has come a long way in the past few decades. Today, it is more about individualized care and targeted therapies. The progress in RCC management, fueled by continuous research and clinical trials, promises better outcomes and improved quality of life for patients affected by this disease. There is hope for anyone diagnosed with RCC, as it is much more treatable than ever before.