A cancer that originates in the kidney. Symptoms may include pain on one side of the back, blood in the urine, a mass in the abdomen or side, high blood pressure, and fever. Some people with kidney cancer also experience loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, constipation, weakness, and fatigue.
A malignancy affecting the kidney characterized by the presence of cancerous cells. While the majority of kidney cancers initiate within the kidney itself, there are occasional instances where cancer may metastasize to the kidney from a different organ.
Three primary categories of cancer impact the kidney: renal cell carcinoma, nephroblastoma, and transitional cell carcinoma.
Referred to as hypernephroma or adenocarcinoma, this stands as the most prevalent variant of kidney cancer. Typically observed in individuals aged 40 and above, it disproportionately affects men, with twice as many cases reported compared to women. Common indications include the presence of blood in the urine. Additional symptoms might encompass back pain, an abdominal lump, fever, or weight loss. The cancer frequently metastasizes to the lungs, bones, liver, and brain.
Nephroblastoma, also recognized as Wilms’ tumor, is a rapidly developing growth that predominantly impacts children aged under five. While there are instances of nephroblastoma running in families, its exact cause remains uncertain. Indications may encompass abdominal swelling, abdominal pain or unease, and occasionally, blood in the urine. Nephroblastoma can potentially disseminate to the lungs, liver, and brain.
Originating from cells that line the renal pelvis, which is the system responsible for collecting urine within the kidney, this form of kidney cancer is particularly prevalent among smokers or individuals who have used specific pain-relieving medications for extended periods. A frequently encountered symptom is the presence of blood in the urine; furthermore, blockage of the ureter might lead to hydronephrosis, which is the dilation of the kidney due to urine obstruction.
The physician will perform a physical assessment and analyze a urine sample to detect any signs of blood. Diagnosis can be substantiated through techniques such as ultrasound scanning, CT scanning, MRI, or intravenous urography.
Every variant of kidney cancer necessitates the surgical extraction of the affected kidney, and in some instances, removal of the ureter may also be required. Any residual cancer cells are targeted through radiotherapy and/or treatment involving anticancer medications (such as interleukin or medroxyprogesterone, which are administered for certain cases of renal cell carcinoma).
Survival rates exhibit fluctuations contingent on the specific cancer type and the timing of treatment initiation. For nephroblastoma, roughly four out of every five affected children attain survival; even when this variety of kidney cancer has advanced at the time of diagnosis, cure rates remain relatively elevated.