Kidney Cancer Symptoms
Every year around 200,000 to 250,000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer and around 40,000 lose their lives to this disease...
Kidney is one of the most important organs that act as natural refinery; remove waste from blood and helps in keeping our body clean. We have two kidneys, which are located on both the side of the spine.
Kidney Cancer:
Kidney cancer is caused due to growth of carcinogen cells in the kidneys. There are two major types of kidney cancers Renal Cell Cancer and Renal Pelvis Cancer (Transitional cell cancer). Renal Cell Cancer is further categorized into several types such as Conventional (also known as Clear Cell Cancer and majority of cancer cases fall under this category), Chromaphobe Cancer, and Papillary Cancer etc. There are still several types of renal cell cancers which are unclassified.
Who is at risk?
Like any other type of cancer, people in old age are mainly at risk of developing kidney cancer (People of age group 60 and above). History indicates that majority of patients suffering from kidney cancer are male patients (about 60% are male among the patients suffering from kidney cancer). According to a study obese people, cigarette smokers, and people who prefer junk or processed food and intake very less amount of fruits and vegetable in diet are at the highest risk of developing kidney cancer (However, it has not yet been confirmed if diet has any effect on kidney cancer risk).
Along with the above mentioned group of people, people who come in contact with crude minerals such as iron, steel etc. and other cancer causing substances, people who are suffering from kidney related diseases, people suffering from high-blood pressure, people suffering from cancer in other organs that has started spreading to other parts of the body etc. are also at the risk of developing kidney cancer.
What are the symptoms of Kidney Cancer?
There are quite a few symptoms of kidney cancer. Blood in urine is considered one of the most prominent indications of kidney cancer; however problems such as kidney stone and kidney infection also result in blood in urine, hence it is important to undergo confirmatory tests. Along with the blood in urine, other symptoms like pain in lower back, swelling in the kidney and its surrounding area also in the ankles and legs, lumps in the abdominal area, some people may experience fever, anaemia, lethargy, weight loss and excessive sweating etc. are also recorded.
How is kidney cancer diagnosed?
There are several ways to diagnose kidney cancer. Generally an X-Ray scan or CAT scan is used to identify if there is an abnormal growth of cells in patient’s kidney. Once an abnormal growth is confirmed, physician use biopsy in order to find out if the cells taken from kidney are carcinogen (i.e. cancer cells). Along with the above mentioned techniques, there are few more techniques used to diagnose kidney cancer.
Kidney Cancer treatment:
Similar to most of the other types of cancers, kidney cancer also can be treated with surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, medication, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, nutritional therapy, interferon/interleukin etc. Surgery is used to remove the infected part of the kidney or entire kidney from the patient’s body (along with the part of kidney, other infected area is also removed during the surgery). Medication can be used to destroy the remaining infected cells and help the patient regain strength after surgery. The type and combination of various treatments to be followed will be decided by physician based on the stage kidney cancer is in and the complexity involved.
However, there are certain side effects of various treatments such as destruction of uninfected cells after radiotherapy; patient might experience lethargy due to high power medication etc. It is very important to pay attention to patient’s diet and take proper medication after the cancer treatment.
Chances of survival of kidney cancer patients are almost 50%, where as the risk goes on increasing as the patient’s age increases. The survival chances also depend on the stage in which kidney cancer is. If the tumor has not started spreading outside the kidney, patient’s chances of cure are high, whereas the chances become thin if the tumor has burst and cancer has started spreading. Similar to other types of cancers, kidney cancer is very difficult to cure in its advanced stage.
How should I minimize my risk of kidney cancer?
1) Quit smoking, as smokers are at the highest risk level of developing any type of cancer.
2) Try to include vegetables and fruits in your daily diet and avoid junk or processed food.
3) Try to avoid toxic substances such as chemicals etc. Take necessary precautions before you handle such things.
4) Exercise regularly
Kidney Cancer:
Kidney cancer is caused due to growth of carcinogen cells in the kidneys. There are two major types of kidney cancers Renal Cell Cancer and Renal Pelvis Cancer (Transitional cell cancer). Renal Cell Cancer is further categorized into several types such as Conventional (also known as Clear Cell Cancer and majority of cancer cases fall under this category), Chromaphobe Cancer, and Papillary Cancer etc. There are still several types of renal cell cancers which are unclassified.
Who is at risk?
Like any other type of cancer, people in old age are mainly at risk of developing kidney cancer (People of age group 60 and above). History indicates that majority of patients suffering from kidney cancer are male patients (about 60% are male among the patients suffering from kidney cancer). According to a study obese people, cigarette smokers, and people who prefer junk or processed food and intake very less amount of fruits and vegetable in diet are at the highest risk of developing kidney cancer (However, it has not yet been confirmed if diet has any effect on kidney cancer risk).
Along with the above mentioned group of people, people who come in contact with crude minerals such as iron, steel etc. and other cancer causing substances, people who are suffering from kidney related diseases, people suffering from high-blood pressure, people suffering from cancer in other organs that has started spreading to other parts of the body etc. are also at the risk of developing kidney cancer.
What are the symptoms of Kidney Cancer?
There are quite a few symptoms of kidney cancer. Blood in urine is considered one of the most prominent indications of kidney cancer; however problems such as kidney stone and kidney infection also result in blood in urine, hence it is important to undergo confirmatory tests. Along with the blood in urine, other symptoms like pain in lower back, swelling in the kidney and its surrounding area also in the ankles and legs, lumps in the abdominal area, some people may experience fever, anaemia, lethargy, weight loss and excessive sweating etc. are also recorded.
How is kidney cancer diagnosed?
There are several ways to diagnose kidney cancer. Generally an X-Ray scan or CAT scan is used to identify if there is an abnormal growth of cells in patient’s kidney. Once an abnormal growth is confirmed, physician use biopsy in order to find out if the cells taken from kidney are carcinogen (i.e. cancer cells). Along with the above mentioned techniques, there are few more techniques used to diagnose kidney cancer.
Kidney Cancer treatment:
Similar to most of the other types of cancers, kidney cancer also can be treated with surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, medication, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, nutritional therapy, interferon/interleukin etc. Surgery is used to remove the infected part of the kidney or entire kidney from the patient’s body (along with the part of kidney, other infected area is also removed during the surgery). Medication can be used to destroy the remaining infected cells and help the patient regain strength after surgery. The type and combination of various treatments to be followed will be decided by physician based on the stage kidney cancer is in and the complexity involved.
However, there are certain side effects of various treatments such as destruction of uninfected cells after radiotherapy; patient might experience lethargy due to high power medication etc. It is very important to pay attention to patient’s diet and take proper medication after the cancer treatment.
Chances of survival of kidney cancer patients are almost 50%, where as the risk goes on increasing as the patient’s age increases. The survival chances also depend on the stage in which kidney cancer is. If the tumor has not started spreading outside the kidney, patient’s chances of cure are high, whereas the chances become thin if the tumor has burst and cancer has started spreading. Similar to other types of cancers, kidney cancer is very difficult to cure in its advanced stage.
How should I minimize my risk of kidney cancer?
1) Quit smoking, as smokers are at the highest risk level of developing any type of cancer.
2) Try to include vegetables and fruits in your daily diet and avoid junk or processed food.
3) Try to avoid toxic substances such as chemicals etc. Take necessary precautions before you handle such things.
4) Exercise regularly
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