Kidney Cancer
The kidney is made up of a pair of bean-shaped organs that are located at the back part of the stomach area on either side of the spine. This organ filters the blood and gets rid of excess water, salt and waste products. Each kidney has a tube that carries urine to the bladder, where it is stored temporarily. Kidneys may develop cysts that are hollow, noncancerous growths or tumors that are cancerous.
The three main types of kidney cancer are:
- Renal cell (cancer of the tube linings) accounts for about 80% of all kidney cancers
- Wilm's tumor occurs mainly in children under five years old.
- Transitional cell cancer develops in the linings of other digestive system areas.
Risk Factors
- Usually occurs between the ages of 50 and 70
- Affects men 1.5 times more often than women
- Smoking doubles the risk of developing the renal cell form
- Exposure to asbestos, cadmium and certain chemicals
- Family history of kidney cancer
- Long-term kidney dialysis
- Being overweight and having a high fat diet
Signs and Symptoms
- Blood in the urine, visible or microscopic
- Pain in the side of the body, accompanied by fever
- High blood pressure (Kidney cancer is often discovered during an examination related to this or other conditions.)
Diagnosis
- Physical examination. Sometimes a doctor can feel a lump in the stomach area.
- Scans. To get a picture of the tumor, the doctor may order ultrasound or CT scans. MRI scans can show whether or not the disease has spread to nearby tissues and veins.
- Special X-rays may be done before surgery to check the tumor and the arteries that supply it.
Treatment
If the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body, removing it and the surrounding lymph nodes offers a good chance of cure. However, kidney cancer often spreads early, especially to the lungs. When this happens, neither surgery, radiation or chemotherapy can offer a cure.
In recent years, an immune system booster called interleukin-2 has been given to patients to help shrink tumors and prolong patient survival.
The Cedars-Sinai Endourology Institute specializes in minimally invasive surgery techniques for correcting kidney disorders and removing kidneys from living donors to transplant into someone who needs a kidney transplant.
