Kidney Cancer: Types, Symptoms and Treatment

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.