Onconephrology: the latest frontier in the war against kidney disease

Renal diseases in patients with cancer have many unique features, and often these diseases require specialized approaches. Newer cancer therapy has increased cancer cure rate and survival time, but such benefit is not fully realized, partly because of therapy-associated toxicities. Fluid and electrolyte abnormalities are very common in patients with cancer, as are acute and chronic kidney injury. With the evolving complexities of newer cancer therapies, a comprehensive team approach is becoming necessary. It is essential for nephrologists to be informed and involved in cancer care. Many nephrologists caring for patients with cancer in the United States have recently met and formed a focus group, the OncoNephrology Forum, under the American Society of Nephrology. This update addresses what is clinically unique about onconephrology, the objectives and functions of the newly formed forum, and the potential of onconephrology becoming a subspecialty in nephrology.