Understanding Kidney Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

What is it?

Kidney cancer, also known as renal cell cancer, is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in tubules of the kidney.
You have two kidneys, one in each side of your mid-back, just below the rib cage. The tubes inside your kidney filter and clean your blood, taking out waste products and producing urine.
Kidney cancer becomes more likely as you age. Risk factors include smoking, having certain genetic conditions, and misusing pain medicines for a long time.
Like most cancer types, renal cancer is divided into stages, according to how much it has spread out of the kidney into the rest of your body.

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Additional names

This group contains additional names:
- Renal Cancer

Signs & symptoms

Kidney cancer is difficult to diagnose early because the symptoms usually appear when the cancer is already advanced.
If symptoms do occur, they usually include blood in the urine that causes it to turn pink or red and a lump in the abdomen.
There can also be pain in the side that doesn't go away, weight loss and weakness.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and perform a physical exam. The following tests will be done next:
-Blood and urine test- to check for any abnormalities.
-Imaging test such as CT scan or Ultrasound. Many times, kidney cancer is found incidentally, while performing an imaging test for another reason.

Treatment

There are different types of treatment for patients with renal cancer. The treatment depends on the type of cancer, its stage and your general health.
-Surgery- to remove part or all of your kidney is often used to treat renal cell cancer.
-Radiation therapy- high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation used to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.
-Chemotherapy- medication that will kill cancerous cells or stop their growing.
-Targeted therapy- drugs or other substances that are aimed to attack specific cancer cells.

☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.

Learn more about our editorial process for content accuracy.

Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:

National Institution of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ University of Illinois hospital