Kidney cancer, or renal cancer, is a type of cancer that starts in the kidneys and is responsible for filtering waste from the bloodstream. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and years on dialysis. Symptoms include blood in the urine, back pain, and unexplained weight loss. Diagnosis is made through physical exams, urine tests, and imaging tests. The cancer is staged based on its spread.
Kidney, or renal, cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the kidneys. These organs, located on the sides of the abdomen, are responsible for filtering waste and excess water from the bloodstream and sending it into the urine; they are shaped like beans. The most common type of kidney cancer in those of adulthood is renal cell carcinoma. In children, the most common type is referred to as a Wilms tumor. It is estimated that more than 50,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year; that number will surely be higher worldwide.
Kidney cancer usually develops in people over the age of 40. However, it can develop in much younger people and no one knows the exact cause. There are some risk factors that increase the risk of kidney cancer; they include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and years on dialysis. If someone has an abnormal Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene, they are also more likely to develop this type of cancer. People who are occupationally exposed to asbestos and cadmium may also be more at risk. For some reason, men are diagnosed with kidney cancer more often than women.
In the early stages of the disease, a person may get kidney cancer with no obvious symptoms. In the later stages, blood in the urine is a common symptom. Back pain that persists and is located just below the rib cage can also indicate this type of cancer, as can a lump or mass that is located on the side of the abdominal region. Other symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, fever, fatigue, and a general feeling of being unwell.
A person can experience symptoms of kidney cancer without having cancer at all. For example, a lump might be caused by a cyst rather than a tumor. Many of the other symptoms could be caused by an infection or other type of health problem. Regardless of the cause of your symptoms, however, it’s best to visit a doctor right away for early diagnosis and treatment. Cancer, like many other conditions, is often easiest to treat in its early stages.
To diagnose this type of cancer, a doctor will perform a physical exam, checking the patient’s overall health and feeling for tumors. He or she may also do urine tests to check for blood and other signs of kidney cancer. Typically, a doctor will do laboratory blood tests to evaluate levels of certain substances, including creatinine, and see how well your kidneys are working. High levels of creatinine can indicate malfunctioning kidneys.
A doctor may perform an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) while trying to diagnose kidney cancer. For this, the dye is injected into the patient’s vein, which then travels through the body and is deposited in the kidneys. Thanks to the dye, a doctor can see tumors and other problems on X-rays. Other tests used to make a diagnosis are CT scans, ultrasounds and biopsies. Surgery to remove part or all of a kidney is often used to have the final say in making a diagnosis; once removed, the kidney tissue is examined under a microscope by a pathologist.
After the diagnosis is made, a doctor takes steps to assess the stage of the cancer. In stage 1, the tumor will be small and confined to the kidney; in stage 2, it will be larger but still limited to the kidney. In stage 3, the cancer will have spread to the tissue surrounding the kidney and may have spread to the adrenal glands or lymph nodes. In stage 4, the cancer has spread to more distant parts of the body, such as other organs.
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