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Kidney CancerEach year, more than 28,000 people in the United States learn that they have kidney cancer. The KidneysThe kidneys are two reddish-brown, bean shaped organs located just above the waist, one on each side of the spine. They are part of the urinary system. Their main function is to filter blood and to produce urine to rid the body of waste. As blood flows through the kidneys, they remove waste products and unneeded water. The resulting liquid, urine, collects in the middle of each kidney in an area called the renal pelvis. Urine drains from each kidney through a long tube, the ureter, into the bladder, where it is stored. Urine leaves the body through another tube, called the urethra. The kidneys also produce substances that help control blood pressure and regulate the formation of red blood cells. What is Cancer?Cancer is a group of many different diseases that have some important things in common. They all affect cells, the body’s basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it is helpful to know about normal cells and about what happens when cells become cancerous. The body is made up
of many types of cells.
Normally, cells grow
and divide to produce
more cells only when
the body needs them.
This orderly process
helps keep the body
healthy. Sometimes
cells keep dividing
when new cells are
not needed. A mass
of extra tissue forms,
and this mass is called
a growth or tumor.
Tumors can be benign
or malignant.
Kidney CancerSeveral types of cancer can develop in the kidneys. This article discusses renal cell cancer, the most common form of kidney cancer in adults. Transitional cell cancer (carcinoma), which affects the renal pelvis, is a less common form of kidney cancer. It is similar to cancer that occurs in the bladder and is often treated like bladder cancer. As kidney cancer grows, it may invade organs near the kidney, such as the liver, colon, or pancreas. Kidney cancer cells may also break away from the original tumor and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. When kidney cancer spreads, cancer cells may appear in the lymph nodes. For this reason, lymph nodes near the kidney may be removed during surgery. If the pathologist finds cancer cells in the lymph nodes, it may mean that the disease has spread to other parts of the body. Kidney cancer may spread and form new tumors, most often in the bones or lungs. The new tumors have the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the original (primary) tumor in the kidney. For example, if kidney cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are kidney cancer cells. The disease is metastatic kidney cancer, it is not lung cancer. SymptomsIn its early stages, kidney cancer usually causes no obvious signs or troublesome symptoms. However, as a kidney tumor grows, symptoms may occur. These may include:
Other less common
symptoms may include:
High blood pressure or a lower than normal number of red cells in the blood (anemia) may also signal a kidney tumor; however, these symptoms occur less often. These symptoms may be caused by cancer or by other, less serious problems such as an infection or a cyst. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis. People with any of these symptoms may see their family doctor or a urologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the urinary system. Usually, early cancer does not cause pain; it is important not to wait to feel pain before seeing a doctor. In most cases, the earlier cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better a person’s chance for a full recovery. DiagnosisTo find the cause of symptoms, the doctor asks about the patient’s medical history and does a physical exam. In addition to checking for general signs of health, the doctor may perform blood and urine tests. The doctor may also carefully feel the abdomen for lumps or irregular masses. The doctor usually orders tests that produce pictures of the kidneys and nearby organs. These pictures can often show changes in the kidney and surrounding tissue. For example, an IVP (intravenous pyelogram) is a series of x-rays of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder after the injection of a dye. The dye may be places in the body through a needle or a narrow tube called a catheter. The pictures produced can show changes in the shape of these organs and nearby lymph nodes. Another test, arteriography, is a series of x-rays of the blood vessels. Dye is injected into a large blood vessel through a catheter. X-rays show the dye as it moves through the network of smaller blood vessels in and around the kidney. The pictures produced can show changes in the shape of these organs and nearby lymph nodes Other imaging tests may include CT scan, MRI, and ultrasonography, which can show the difference between diseased and healthy tissues. Once kidney cancer is diagnosed, the doctor will want to learn the stage, or extent, of the disease. Staging is a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, what parts of the body are affected. This information is needed to plan a patient’s treatment. To stage kidney cancer, the doctor may use additional MRI and x-ray studies of the tissues and blood vessels in and around the kidney. The doctor can check for swollen lymph nodes in the chest and abdomen through CT scans. Chest x-rays can often show whether cancer has spread to the lungs. Bone scans reveal changes that may be a sign that the cancer has spread to the bones. TreatmentTreatment for kidney cancer depends on the stage of the disease, the patient’s general health and age, and other factors. The doctor develops a treatment plan to fit each patient’s needs. Preparing for TreatmentMany people with cancer want to learn all they can about their disease and their treatment choices, so they can take an active part in decisions about their medical care. When a person is diagnosed with cancer, shock and stress are natural reactions. These feelings may make it difficult for patients to think of everything they want to ask the doctor. Often it helps to make a list of questions. To help remember what the doctor says, people may take notes or ask whether they may use a tape recorder. Some patients also want to have a family member or friend with them when they talk to the doctor—to take part in the discussion, to take notes, or just to listen. These are some questions
a patient may want
to ask the doctor before
treatment begins:
Methods of TreatmentSurgery is the most common treatment for kidney cancer. An operation to remove the kidney is called a nephrectomy. Most often, the surgeon removes the whole kidney along with the adrenal gland and the tissue around the kidney. Some lymph nodes may also be removed. This procedure is called a radical nephrectomy. In some cases, the surgeon removes only the kidney (simple nephrectomy). The remaining kidney generally is able to perform the work of both kidneys. In another procedure, partial nephrectomy, the surgeon removes just the part of the kidney that contains the tumor. Biological therapy (also called immunotherapy) is a form of treatment that uses the body’s natural ability (immune system) to fight cancer. Interleukin-2 and interferon are types of biological therapy used to treat advanced kidney cancer. Clinical trials continue to examine better ways to use biological therapy while reducing the side effects patients may experience. Many people having biological therapy stay in the hospital during treatment so that these side effects may be monitored. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Although useful in the treatment of many other cancers, chemotherapy has shown only limited effectiveness against kidney cancer. However, researchers continue to study new drugs and new drug combinations that may prove to be more useful. If you would like more information on this topic, please contact us. |
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One Location. Complete Urologic Care. Urological
Associates, Inc. is
dedicated to being
your tri-state leader
in urologic care. |
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