Definition:
Kidney cancer is also known as renal cell carcinoma arising from the renal tubule. It is the most common kind of
kidney cancer in adults. It is notoriously resistant to radiation therapy and chemotherapy, although some cases
respond to immunotheraphy.
Diagnosis:
Physical exam: Some doctor checks general signs of health and tests for fever and high blood pressure. Doctors
also feel the abdomen and side for tumors.
Urine tests: Urine is tested for blood and other signs of disease.
Blood tests: Laboratories check the blood to see how well the kidneys are working. The lab can check the level of
several substances, such as creatinine. High level of creatinine can mean the kidneys are not doing their job.
Treatment:
At any stage of disease, people with kidney cancer may have treatment to control pain and other symptoms, to
relieve the side effects of therapy, and to ease emotional and practical problems. This kind of therapy is called
supportive care, symptom management, or palliative care.
Symptoms and Signs:
Common symptoms of kidney cancer include: Blood in the urine (making the urine slightly rusty to deep red), Pain
in the side that does not go away. A lump or mass in the side or the abdomen, Weight loss, Fever, Feeling very
tired or having a general feeling of poor health.
Causes:
As blood circulates through your kidneys, the nephrons filter out waste products as well as unneeded minerals and
water. This liquid waste urine flows through two narrow tubes (ureters) into your bladder, where it is stored
until it's eliminated from your body through another tube, the urethra.
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