Kidney Cancer

Kidney (renal) cancer occurs when cancerous cells are found in the lining of very small tubes (tubules) in the kidney.

Kidney Cancer Symptoms

The symptoms of kidney cancer are usually common to many other urinary tract problems and do not show themselves early, which is when it is best to diagnose and treat kidney cancer. If diagnosis takes time, the cancer can spread to the lungs or other nearby organs. Common symptoms are abdominal pain, unusual urine color like dark rusty amber urine, or sometimes pure bloody urine called hematuria. Some patients report back pain, side pain, and enlarged or enflamed areas of the stomach. Other symptoms are sickly appearance, enlarged veins around a testicle (varicocele), severed weight loss, constipation, pale skin, and sometimes vision problems.

Kidney Cancer Tests

A simple test for kidney cancer is to pressing the fingers on the abdomen, particularly of the kidney or liver. Other tests include imaging and other tests for local kidney testing and very importantly checking to see whether the cancer had possibly spread:

• Abdominal CT scan and MRI
• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
• Bone scan
• Chest x-ray
• PET scan
• Liver function tests
• Renal arteriography
• Serum calcium
• Ultrasound of the abdomen and kidney
• Urine cytology
• Urine test (urinalysis)

Kidney cancer survival depends on the level of spread of the cancer. Additionally, some people respond to treatment better than others. Early diagnosis is most important for survival as early stages of cancer are easier to treat.