Treating kidney cancer

Has anyone any experience of treating their dog for kidney cancer?

I took my dog, a Rough Collie to the vet's yesterday for his normal arthritis injection and mentioned he was lethargic and drinking more than usual, after a blood test which showed massively raised red blood cells and then an ultrasound he has been diagnosed with kidney cancer! We are reeling with shock as he is now at the specialist who is trying to reduce his red cell count and rehydrate him so that he can investigate how far the cancer has spread and if he is suitable for surgery.

I love him dearly but at 11 and a half years old we don't know if it’s fair to put him through such major surgery and how successful it will be.

Dawn, via email