The kidney is responsible to remove waste from the body. it is a bean-shaped organ. kidney is present in the abdomen on either side of the spine. if overgrowth of the cells constituting this organ then it leads to kidney cancer.
In this article you will get to know the types of cancer, symptoms, and risk so read this article till the end.
Kidney Cancer:-
If an abnormal growth of cells in the kidneys then it leads to kidney cancer. it is also known as a mass or malignant tumor. there are some tumors and mass in kidneys can be non-cancerous or benign as well.
Symptoms for Kidney Cancer:-
In kidney cancer, there are no early symptoms but there are some signs and symptoms that any patient can experience in advanced cancer stages
- Blood in the urine ( Haematuria )
- Appetite loss
- Low red blood cell count ( Anaemia )
- Continuous fever that is not caused by any infection
- Lower back pain ( one side ) that is not caused by any injury or does not go away
- Weight loss that is not caused by any dieting
- Pain between the hips and ribs
If this cancer spread to other parts of the body then you may experience the below symptoms
- Breath shortness
- Coughing up blood
- Pain in bone
Types of Kidney Cancer:-
Three types of kidney cancer are there
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Wilms tumor:-
This type occurs in children and rarely occurs in adults
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RCC ( Renal Cell Carcinomas):-
It is the most common type of cancer and it occurs where the purification of blood takes place. RCC may form as one or two or more tumors in the kidney. It accounts for 85% of all renal cancer types. it starts in the lining of the tiny tubes that make up the nephrons. Renal Cell Carcinoma typically develops as a single tumor in one kidney, but it can also affect both kidneys simultaneously. It can spread to other parts of the body, including nearby lymph nodes, adrenal glands, and distant organs such as the lungs, bones, or liver.
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TCC (Transitional Cell Carcinoma):-
TCC is nearly 7 to 8 percent of the total number of kidney cancers. it starts in the renal pelvis. It can also form in the bladder or ureters. Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC), also known as urothelial carcinoma. apart from this, there are nearly nine types of benign kidney tumors in the body. they are mostly noncancerous.
Risk Factors of Kidney Cancer:-
It is unknown the exact cause of kidney cancer but there are some risk factors that may cause kidney cancer.
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Tuberous sclerosis
- Family History
- Radiation therapy
- Von Hippel-Lindau disease
Kidney Cancer Treatment:-
Once the kidney cancer is diagnosed the doctor will start the treatment plan. the main goal of kidney cancer treatment is to remove the cancer and save the kidney as much as possible.
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Radical Nephrectomy:-
In this surgery, kidneys remove, the adrenal glands and surrounding tissues. doctors can do this type of surgery with the help of a laparoscope. it may also remove the surrounding lymph nodes.
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Simple Nephrectomy:-
The kidneys remove only in this type of surgery
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Partial Nephrectomy:-
when doctors remove cancerous cells and some surrounding tissue then this type of surgery occurs.
apart from these surgeries, there are other ways of kidney cancer treatment
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Chemotherapy:-
Chemotherapy is another option but it may not be as effective for kidney cancer except for a particular type of spindle cells.
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Ablation:-
In this, the surgeon tries to destroy the cancer cells with cold and extreme heat. doctor can also do a biopsy with the help of a biopsy pathologist can test whether the cells are cancerous or not.
Ablation has two forms one is cryoablation which is extremely cold and the second is radiofrequency ablation which is extreme Heat.
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Targeted therapy:-
The main purpose of targeted therapy is to destroy the cancer cells so this therapy uses drugs or any other substance to target cancer cells.
After surgery, doctors may also use these options for kidney cancer treatment.
you should take treatment immediately because if you do not treat this cancer in the correct time then it can grow and can spread to the other body parts.
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Radiation therapy:-
This type of therapy treatment uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and try to stop their growth.
Diagnosed Kidney cancer:-
There is no particular lab test that can diagnose kidney cancer. it can be found by doctors by chance. your doctor will tell you to go to the urologist if the urologist suspects a problem in your kidneys.
There are some tests that they may ask you to take:-
- CT scan
- MRI
- Physical exam
- Urinalysis
- Ultrasound
- Kidney mass biopsy
- CBC to check the blood for signs of disease
- CMP ( Complete metabolic panel)
- Serum creatinine levels
Prevention:-
There are no any ways to prevent this disease. doctors don’t know the cause of renal cancer. but you can avoid some factors that can increase the risk of cancer.
- Drinking
- Smoking
- Good body weight
- Manage your blood pressure
Long-term kidney cancer:-
If the patient has small cancer and it does not spread to the other organs then the doctor can remove it with surgery. but the tumor is slow growing or not large enough.
If this cancer spread beyond the kidneys then it can be treated by radiation therapy etc.
Kidney cancer is top ten most common cancer types. if can affect either one or both kidneys. so you are advised to live a healthy life.
FAQ:-
Q1:- What are the first signs of kidney cancer?
Ans:- Blood in the urine, Low back pain on one side, Fatigue, Weight loss not caused by dieting, etc
Q2:- How is kidney cancer detected?
Ans:- CT and MRI scans
Q3:- What is stage 0 kidney cancer?
Ans:- noninvasive papillary carcinoma
Q4:- Can kidney cancer spread?
Ans:- kidney cancer may spread including the bones, liver, lungs, brain, and distant lymph nodes.
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