Intro to Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer is a disease where kidney cells become malignant, growing rapidly and forming a tumor. The most common type of kidney cancer is renal carcinoma. This type of kidney cancer begins in the tubules (small tubes) of the kidney. The majority of these cancers are discovered before the they spread to other organs, making them more likely to be treated successfully.

Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer

There are certain risk factors that make it more likely for someone to get kidney cancer. These include:

-being over the age of 40

-smoking: doubles the risk of getting kidney cancer

-being male: men are twice as likely to get kidney cancer

-being overweight: affects hormones which can increase the risk of getting kidney cancer

-pain medications: prolonged use of certain pain medications increases the risk

-having kidney disease: if you have kidney disease or use dialysis this increases the risk

-having genetic conditions: conditions such as von Hippel-Lindau increase risk

-family history of kidney cancer: especially with siblings

-exposure to chemicals: chemicals such as asbestos, benzene, cadmium, certain herbicides and organic solvents increase risk

-having high blood pressure

-being black gives a slightly higher risk than if you are white

The Symptoms of kidney cancer are often not present in the early stages. As the disease progresses and the tumor grows, the following symptoms may start to appear:

-bloody urine

-a lump in the side or abdomen

-reduced appetite

-pain in the side

-unexplained weight loss

-long lasting fever that isn't related to cold, flu or infection

-fatigue

-anemia

-swelling in the ankles and legs

If kidney cancer spreads, it can cause other symptoms such as:

-short of breath

-coughing blood

-pain in the bones

 Checking for kidney cancer

If you are displaying symptoms of kidney cancer, your doctor will check for lumps, fever and blood pressure. Then your doctor will likely order tests including:

-urine test: checks for blood or other problems with urine

-blood tests: this determines kidney function

-intravenous pyelogram: uses dyes to highlight any tumors through an x-ray

-ultrasound: used to examine tumors

-CT or MRI scan: to get a detailed picture of the kidneys

Treatments for Kidney Cancer

Once you've been diagnosed with kidney cancer, there are several ways to treat it. Usually surgery is the first step. Even if the entire tumor is removed, there may be other treatments to follow to ensure all cancer cells are killed.

 There are several types of surgery and which one you get depends on how advanced the cancer is:

-radical nephrectomy: removes the kidney, adrenal gland and adjacent tissue as well as nearby lymph nodes. This is the surgery performed most often for kidney cancer.

-simple nephrectomy: removes the kidney.

-partial nephrectomy: removes the cancerous part of the kidney and the surrounding tissue.

If both kidneys are removed, you will need a transplant, or dialysis.

If surgery can't be used to destroy the tumor for whatever reason, there are alternative approaches, including:

-cryotherapy: freezes the tumor

-radiofrequency ablation: cooks the tumor using radio waves

-arterial embolization: this inserts material into the artery that leads to the kidney, thereby blocking the blood flow that feeds the tumor.

Bioligic therapy can also be used to treat kidney cancer. This treatment uses substances that boost your immune system to fight cancer.

There is also targeted therapy, which targets cancer cells leaving other cells unharmed. One example of this is angiogenic therapy.

Exteral and internal radiation therapy can also be used to kill cancer cells or stop their growth.

Systemic chemotherapy which targets the entire body can also be used, as well as regional chemotherapy, which just targets one area.