Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that clear waste from your blood and produce urine. They also help control blood pressure and make red blood cells.
Kidney cancerhappens when cells in one or both kidneys grow out of control. Cancer cells form tumors that make it difficult for normal cells to function.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), kidney cancer is theeighth most common cancerin the United States. Every year, more than 65,000 people get kidney cancer, and about 14,000 die from the disease.
There are many different kinds of kidney cancer. The most common one isrenal cell carcinoma. About 90% of all kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas.
Am I Likely to Get Kidney Cancer?
Doctors don’t always know exactly what causes kidney cancer. They do know thatsmoking tobaccodoubles your chance of getting it. Otherkidney cancer risk factorsare:
- Being male.
- Being over age 45.
- Having a Black, American Indian, or Alaskan Native heritage.
- Havinghigh blood pressure.
- Being overweight.
- Having kidney stones.
- A family history of kidney cancer.
- Exposure to certain chemicals at work.
- Rare genetic conditions.
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What Are the First Signs of Kidney Cancer?
The symptoms of kidney cancer are similar to several other diseases. It’s important to see your doctor right away if you have:
- Blood in your urine.
- Lower back pain.
- Pain in your side.
- Loss of appetite.
- Swelling in the kidney area or abdomen.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Fever that doesn’t go away.
- Unexplained tiredness.
How Will My Doctor Know I Have Kidney Cancer?
Your doctor will ask about your health history and do a physical exam. If they suspect you have kidney cancer, your doctor will order some tests.
- Urinalysis: Lab workers will check your urine to see if it contains blood or cancer cells.
- Blood chemistry tests: These tests show how well the kidneys are working.
- Complete blood count (CBC): People with kidney cancer often have low red blood cell counts.
- Ultrasound:Uses sound waves to take pictures of your kidneys. Can also help guide a biopsy needle into a tumor.
- Kidney biopsy:A small sample of tissue is taken from the tumor. Sometimes this is the only sure way to tell if a tumor is cancerous.
- Chest x-ray: Will show if cancer has spread to the lungs.
- CT scan:特殊的x射线,把详细的图片或gans to see if cancer has spread.
- MRI scan: Radio waves and magnets take pictures of soft tissue to see if cancer has spread.
Is Kidney Cancer Curable?
When it’s detected early, doctors have a very good chance of curing kidney cancer. Even advanced cases benefit from thekidney cancer treatmentsavailable from UPMC.
Here are the most common ways doctors treat kidney cancer:
- Surgery: This is the most common way to treat kidney cancer. Doctors remove the tumor and sometimes part or all of the affected kidney. New laparoscopic techniques mean shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times.
- Tumor ablation: This is an option for people who are too sick to have surgery. This method employs extreme heat or cold to destroy the cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy: This is another option for people who can’t have surgery.
- Immunotherapy: This treatment boosts your immune system to attack kidney cancer cells.
- Targeted therapy: This treatment uses drugs that target cancer cells and are taken as a pill or given through a vein. Unlike chemotherapy, these drugs target cancer cells and don’t affect normal cells. They have different side effects than chemotherapy.
- Chemotherapy: Cancer-fighting drugs are given through a vein or taken as pills. Chemotherapy usually doesn’t work well for kidney cancer, but doctors may try it if other treatments fail.
The treatment for kidney cancer — and its outcome — depends on many factors. They include your age, the stage of the disease, and how fast it’s spreading. Doctors sometimes use multiple treatments together to fight the disease.