Kidney cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells first form in the tissues of the kidneys. There are several different types, including:
- Renal cell carcinoma (cancer that forms in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products)
- Renal pelvis carcinoma (cancer that forms in the center of the kidney where urine collects)
- Wilms' tumor, which usually develops in children under the age of five.
Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer, and is the focus of this series of articles. This article will use the term "kidney cancer" to refer to renal cell carcinoma (also known as renal cell cancer).
(Click Kidney Cancer Types for more information.)
Understanding the Kidneys
To understand kidney cancer, it may help to know more about the kidneys and how they function. Key information about the kidneys includes the following:
- The kidneys are a pair of organs on either side of the spine in the lower abdomen (stomach).
- Each kidney is about the size of a fist. Attached to the top of each is an adrenal gland.
- A mass of fatty tissue and an outer layer of fibrous tissue (Gerota's fascia) enclose the kidneys and adrenal glands.
- The kidneys are part of the urinary tract, which makes urine by removing wastes and extra water from the blood. Urine collects in a hollow space (renal pelvis) in the middle of each kidney and passes from the renal pelvis into the bladder through a tube called a ureter. Urine leaves the body through another tube (the urethra).
- The kidneys also make substances that help control blood pressure and the production of red blood cells.
Causes and Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer
No one knows the exact
cause of kidney cancer, and doctors can seldom explain why one person will get a disease and another person will not.
Kidney cancer research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop the disease. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chances of developing a medical condition. Risk factors do not cause kidney cancer; however, they may act together to increase the risk of developing it.
Specific risk factors for this type of cancer include:
- Smoking
- Having high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Being male
- Being obese
- Undergoing long-term dialysis
- Having hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma
- Having von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (a rare hereditary disease)
- Occupational exposure to such things as blast furnaces, coke ovens, asbestos, and cadmium
- Misusing certain pain medicines (including over-the-counter drugs) for a long time.
Symptoms of Kidney Cancer
In the early stages, there may not be any symptoms of the disease. However, as the tumor grows, common kidney cancer symptoms can include:
- Blood in the urine (making it appear slightly rusty to deep red)
- Weight loss
- Pain in the side that does not go away
- Fever
- A lump or mass in the side or the abdomen (stomach)
- Feeling very tired or having a general feeling of poor health.
However, keep in mind that these symptoms are not sure signs of kidney cancer. Other health problems, such as infection, a cyst, or another problem, can also cause them. People who have possible signs or symptoms of the disease should see their healthcare provider as soon as possible -- only a doctor can diagnose and treat the problem.
(Click Kidney Cancer Symptoms for more information.)
If a person has possible
kidney cancer symptoms, the doctor will need to perform a physical exam, ask about the patient's personal and family medical history, and recommend additional tests and procedures that examine the kidney.
Exams and tests that are used to make a kidney cancer diagnosis may include:
- Urine tests
- Blood tests
- Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
- Ultrasound
- Biopsy
- Surgery.
If a diagnosis of kidney cancer is confirmed, your healthcare provider will need to determine the stage, or extent, of the disease in order to plan the best treatment. Staging is an attempt to find out the size of the tumor, whether the disease has spread, and if so, to what parts of the body.
Specific stages of kidney cancer include:
- Stage I
- Stage II
- Stage III
- Stage IV
- Recurrent kidney cancer.
Current Treatment for Kidney Cancer
Treatment options for kidney cancer vary, based on the stage and the person's age and general health.
In general, treatment can include:
People with the disease should work with their healthcare provider to develop a treatment plan that meets their medical needs and personal values. Choosing the most appropriate treatment is a decision that ideally involves the affected person, the family, and the healthcare team.
(Click Kidney Cancer Treatment for more information.)
Prognosis With Kidney Cancer
The American Cancer Society estimated that 38,890 men and women (24,650 men and 14,240 women) would be diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2006, and 12,840 men and women would die of the disease during the year. As with treatment options, a person's prognosis will depend on:
- The stage
- The person's age
- The person's general health.
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print