Table of Contents
What is Kidney Cancer?
- The disease kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, starts in the kidneys.
- Kidney cancer occurs when healthy kidney cells in either one or both develop uncontrollably into a mass (referred to as a tumor).
- Cancer occurs when something causes a change in the cells, causing them to divide out of control.
- A malignant or cancerous tumor has the potential to spread to nearby tissues and crucial organs which is referred to as metastasis.
Key Facts
- The 14th most frequent cancer in the world is renal cell adenocarcinoma, generally known as kidney cancer.
- It ranks as the ninth most frequent cancer in males and the fourteenth most frequent in women.
- In 2020, there were about 430,000 new cases of kidney cancer.
- The majority of individuals receive a diagnosis between 65 and 74 years old, with an average age of diagnosis being 64.
- Kidney cancer is rarely found in individuals under 45 years of age.
- 4-6% of kidney cancer cases are hereditary.
- The likelihood of survival increases with early detection of kidney cancer.
Types of Kidney Cancer
1. Renal cell carcinoma
- About 85% of diagnoses of adult kidney cancer are of the renal cell carcinoma type.
- The proximal renal tubules, which are part of the kidney’s filtration system, are where this type of cancer arises.
- Each kidney is comprised of numerous small filtering units
2. Urothelial carcinoma
- This is also known as transitional cell carcinoma.
- It is the cause of 5% to 10% of adult kidney cancer diagnoses.
- The renal pelvis, a region of the kidney where urine gathers before going to the bladder, is where urothelial cancer starts.
- Due to originating from the same cell lining in the renal pelvis and bladder, this form of kidney cancer is treated similarly to bladder cancer.
3. Sarcoma
- Kidney sarcoma is a rare condition.
- This particular malignancy forms in the soft tissue of the kidney, the kidney’s thin capsule-like layer of connective tissue, or the surrounding fat.
4. Wilms tumor
- Children are more likely to develop a wilms tumor, which is treated differently from adult kidney cancer.
- An estimated 1% of kidney malignancies are wilms tumors.
5. Lymphoma
- Both kidneys can grow due to lymphoma, which is also linked to lymphadenopathy, or swollen lymph nodes throughout the body.
- Rarely, a kidney tumor mass known as kidney lymphoma may occur alone and may contain enlarged local lymph nodes.
Causes of Kidney Cancer
- It is not yet understood why kidney cells change and become cancerous.
- We know that as people age, their chances of developing kidney cancer increase.
- There are, however, some risk factors associated with kidney cancer.
Risk Factors of Kidney Cancer
- Smoking
- Being obese or overweight
- High blood pressure
- Gender: kidney cancer affects roughly twice as many males as women.
- Undergoing dialysis for severe chronic kidney dysfunction
- Family history of kidney cancer
- Several uncommon genetic disorders, such as Birt Hogge Dube syndrome, von Hippel-Lindau disease, and others
- History of prolonged exposure to cadmium or asbestos
High Risk Groups
- Risk of kidney cancer increases in older people
- Individuals who smoke have a higher likelihood of developing kidney cancer compared to non-smokers..
- Those who are deemed to be at a healthy weight are less likely to develop kidney cancer than those who are obese.
- Those with high blood pressure face a higher risk of kidney cancer
- Renal failure treatment: A higher risk of kidney cancer exists in people who use long-term dialysis to treat chronic renal failure.
- People with inherited syndromes such as von Hippel-Lindau disease, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma or familial renal cancer.
- If any members of your immediate family have suffered from kidney cancer, your risk increases.
Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Cancer
- Hematuria (blood in the Urine)
- One-sided low back discomfort An enlargement on the lower back or side
- Fatigue
- Reduced appetite
- Weight loss
- Fever that does not stem from an illness and does not subside
- Low levels of red blood cells, known as anemia.
Stages of Kidney Cancer
Stage I:
- Only the kidney is affected and the tumor is 7 centimeters (cm) wide or less.
- No lymph nodes or other tissue have been affected.
Stage II:
- The tumor is still only in the kidney but is greater than 7 cm in diameter.
- No lymph nodes or other tissue have been affected.
Stage III:
- The tumor has spread to your major blood arteries, the kidney’s surrounding tissue, the inferior vena cava, or neighboring lymph nodes.
Stage IV:
- The tumor has migrated to nearby lymph nodes, other organs, or the adrenal gland (a tiny gland that lies on top of your kidney).
Screening
- There are no common screening tests for early kidney cancer detection.
- Doctors may advise having imaging tests to look inside the body for patients who have a high risk of the disease.
- Computed tomography (CT) scans or renal ultrasounds are sometimes used to look for early-stage kidney cancer in persons with a family history of the disease.
Diagnosis
Urine Test:
- Urinalysis: To check for blood in the urine, which may indicate kidney cancer.
- Urine Cytology: This test aims to detect the presence of cancerous cells in the urine.
Blood Tests:
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Blood Chemistry: To detect abnormalities linked with kidney cancer, such as anemia, erythrocytosis, high blood calcium, and elevated liver enzymes.
Imaging Tests:
- CT Scan: Detailed X-ray images to confirm the presence of kidney cancer and assess its extent.
- MRI: Detailed images to evaluate potential spread to the spine or brain.
- Ultrasound: Uses sound waves to differentiate between fluid-filled cysts and solid tumors.
- Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP): Uses contrast dye and X-rays to visualize the kidneys, ureters, and bladder, detecting abnormalities caused by kidney cancer.
- Angiography: Similar to IVP but dye is injected into an artery supplying the kidney to assess blood vessels feeding the tumor.
Biopsy:
- Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) or Biopsy: Rarely done but can confirm kidney cancer and provide additional information for treatment decisions.
Prevention of Kidney Cancer
- Quitting smoking
- Lowering blood pressure
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables while minimizing fat intake.
Treatment
- Surgery offers a variety of alternatives, from removing just the diseased kidney tissue and some surrounding healthy tissue to removing the kidney along with any neighboring organs or tumor-infected areas.
- Clinical trials
- Radiation therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Chemotherapy
Fatality Rate
- When the cancer is limited to the kidney, about two thirds of patients are diagnosed.
- The relative 5-year survival rate for this cohort is 93%.
- The 5-year relative survival rate is 72% if kidney cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs and/or the local lymph nodes.
References and For More Information
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29059103/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/kidney-renal-cancer-introduction
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=34&contentid=17768-1
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/kidney-cancer/stages-types-grades/tnm
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/kidney-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352664
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9409-kidney-cancer-overview
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-cancer/tests-and-next-steps/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-cancer/tests-and-next-steps/
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/kidney-cancer/diagnosis
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/k/kidney-cancer
https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/kidney-cancer/symptoms
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