Renal Cell Carcinoma: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Renal cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining of the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney. The kidneys are located just above the waist on each side of the backbone. The proximal convoluted tubules are the small tubes of the kidney that are responsible for filtering blood and eliminating the waste substances from the body. Renal cell carcinoma is a common kidney cancer that accounts for almost 80% of the total cases of the disease.

Causes

The exact cause of renal cell carcinoma has not been discovered till now. However, a strong association between certain factors and the occurrence of this disease has been observed by the researchers. Cigarette smoking and obesity are considered important risk factors. Besides, hypertension is regarded as another significant factor that can increase the risk of renal cell cancer. It is also commonly found in people with cystic kidney disease, who are already undergoing dialysis treatment. Renal cell carcinoma may be caused by the overuse of certain medications also.

Genetics can also play an important role, as in many instances, genetic disorders like von Hippel-Lindau disease, hereditary papillary renal carcinoma, familial renal oncocytoma, Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome and hereditary renal carcinoma have been associated with the development of the disease. Sometimes, excessive exposure to some substances like asbestos, cadmium, certain dyes, petroleum products and hydrocarbons can increase the risk of renal cell carcinoma. It is prevalent among men and in individuals between the age of 40 to 60 years.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of renal cell carcinoma include hematuria or presence of blood in urine, flank pain and lump or mass in the abdomen. However, these symptoms may not appear in the early stages of the disease and can easily be misidentified. Some other symptoms of renal cell cancer include unexplained loss of weight, anorexia, constipation, excessive growth of hair in females, hypercalcemia or the high level of calcium in blood, etc. Hypertension can be another symptom which may be caused by the release of renin by the cancerous tumors. However, in many times the disease can be asymptomatic, i.e. it may not produce any symptoms.

Diagnosis and Treatment

In many instances, renal cell carcinoma is detected unexpectedly while carrying out CT scans or ultrasonography for other reasons. Detection of a renal mass in these tests can suggest renal cell cancer. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is also performed to obtain more information regarding the spread of the cancerous tumors to other regions of the kidney. Besides this, three dimensional CT, CT angiography and magnetic resonance angiography can help in detecting the nature of the disease. Intravenous pyelogram is carried out to detect the cancer of ureters, urinary bladder and kidneys. Sometimes, bone scanning is required for the detection of the disease. Along with these, level of electrolyte, creatinine and calcium in the body are also examined. Biopsy can be executed with the help of ultrasound and computed tomography for the proper diagnosis of the disease.

The common treatment of renal cell carcinoma is surgery, especially if it is restricted only to the kidneys. So, surgical removal of the entire or some parts of the kidney can be an effective treatment. Nephrectomy is the common surgical method that involves the removal of kidney and the adrenal glands. This can be carried out by open surgery or laparoscopy. Cryosurgery can also be effective, where the tumors are destroyed by freezing. Sometimes, medications can be used to reduce the size of the tumors and prolong the life span of the patients. However, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are not effective in containing the disease.

Renal cell carcinoma is a complicated disease, as the exact reasons behind the disease are still unknown. However, certain factors can put individuals at a greater risk of developing the disease like smoking, hypertension and excessive exposure to toxic substances, which can easily be controlled to check the frequency of the disease.