A malignant tumor of kidney cells, so called because it is said to resemble part of the adrenal gland and at one time was thought to originate from this site. It may be present for some years before giving rise to symptoms, which include fever, loin pain, and blood in the urine. Treatment is by surgery but tumors are apt to recur locally. The tumor spreads via the bloodstream and can often be seen growing along the renal vein. Secondary growths from a renal cell carcinoma in the lung have a characteristic cannon-ball’ appearance. These tumors are relatively insensitive to radiotherapy and cytotoxic drugs but some respond to such hormones as progestogens and testosterone.
This is more accurately called renal cell carcinoma. It is a malignant tumour resembling the tissue of the suprarenal gland occurring in the kidney. Fever, loin pain, haematuria and swelling are among the presenting symptoms, but the tumour may be symptomless for many years. Surgical removal is the initial treatment; hypernephromas are fairly insensitive to cytotoxic drugs and, radiotherapy although hormone treatment may help and are prone to spread via the bloodstream, for example, to the lungs.