Kidney Cancer

Worldwide statistics indicate that approximately 50% of kidney cancer cases are detected incidentally while the disease remains asymptomatic. Early diagnosis can make a big difference in cancer treatment and survival.

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Eighty percent of people with kidney cancer are over 65 years of age.

Men are more prone to kidney cancer than women.

Diagnosis and Staging

This type of neoplasm can affect one or both kidneys simultaneously. Knowing where your kidney cancer is located is fundamental to choosing the best course of action.

General Welfare

We approach oncology from all angles to offer our patients comprehensive results.

The Specialist

Our team of oncologists has the expertise to help you minimize symptoms and strengthen your system as your body fights the disease.

What is kidney cancer?

Kidney cancer or renal cancer is caused by the accelerated and uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells within the renal cortex of the kidney, which form a malignant tumor that enlarges over time. The kidneys are a pair of organs responsible for filtering the blood, producing and excreting liquid waste (urine); but they also help regulate and balance certain chemical substances essential to the body, such as sodium, potassium and calcium.

Kidney cancer develops in 4 stages (stages), these are as follows:

Stage 1:

Localized tumor up to 7 cm in size.

Stage 2:

The neoplasm is still contained within the kidney tissues, but is larger than 7 cm.

Stage 3:

Cancer cells have spread to the main veins of the organ, nearby tissues or adjacent lymph nodes.

Stage 4:

The disease has spread to nearby and distant lymph nodes; as well as to other organs (metastasis).

Types of kidney cancer

Among the different types of renal cancer we can mention:

Renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma originating in the tubules of the kidney is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, accounting for more than 80% of all cases.

Renal sarcoma

Sarcoma is one of the less common types, it usually forms in the connective tissue around the kidney.

Wilms' Tumor (Nephroblastoma)

It is a primary malignant renal tumor that develops mainly in children between 1 and 5 years of age. This type of childhood renal cancer responds favorably to treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, after surgical resection (nephrectomy).

Symptoms of kidney cancer

Kidney cancer may go unnoticed during its early stages. However, as it progresses, the patient may experience the following symptoms:

Presence of blood when urinating (red or pink urine).

Constant pain on one or both sides of the body that is reflected towards the lumbar part of the back.

Abnormal mass in the abdomen.

Lack of appetite.

Anemia.

Unexplained weight loss

Fatigue/ Tiredness.

Fever.

Screening tests

Because the disease shows no symptoms during its early stages, early diagnosis becomes more cumbersome. The specialist may use some of the following tests to obtain a concrete diagnosis of kidney cancer:

Blood and urine tests:

Laboratory tests are the first step in checking kidney function and confirming the presence of blood or cancer cells in the urine.

Imaging tests:

The images obtained through ultrasound, radiographs, X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging, allow us to observe the kidneys and detect any abnormality, mass or tumor.

Biopsy:

If imaging tests identify suspicious tissue on the surface of the kidney, the doctor will probably recommend a biopsy to remove small samples that will be analyzed by a pathologist. The results will confirm or deny the presence of cancer.

Risk factors for kidney cancer

The following factors may increase the risk of developing kidney cancer

Age:

People over 65 years of age are the most affected by kidney cancer.

Smoking:

Tobacco consumption increases the risk of this and other types of cancer.

Hypertension:

Hypertensive people are more prone to kidney cancer.

Renal insufficiency:

Patients who constantly receive dialysis are at higher risk of developing the disease.

Family history:

People who are directly related to an oncology patient have a higher risk.

Inherited syndromes:

People born with Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome or tuberous sclerosis complex are more likely to develop kidney cancer.

Prevention

Adopting healthy habits is the best way to reduce the risk of any type of cancer, so be sure to:

Maintain an adequate weight.

Smoking cessation.

Control blood pressure.

Exercise regularly.

Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Treatments for kidney cancer

Small or localized kidney cancer can be treated non-surgically, for example: with radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation treatment. These consist of inserting a hollow needle guided through an ultrasound machine into the kidney tumor; in cryoablation, cold gas is used to freeze the tumor, while in ablation, electric current is used to heat and burn the cancerous cells.

In patients with advanced kidney cancer, the first option evaluated is surgical resection of the tumor or kidney; this can be partial or total depending on the type and extent of the cancer, as well as the patient's state of health. This surgery is known as nephrectomy.

In addition to surgery to remove part or all of the kidney, the oncologist may add one or more of the following treatments:

Targeted therapy

It is a treatment based on specific target drugs that focus on attacking abnormal cells and not healthy cells, and is currently one of the most effective methods in the fight against different types of cancer.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy or radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays delivered through an external machine to kill malignant cells in the kidney.

Chemotherapy

In chemo, drugs (mainly intravenous) are administered, which travel through the bloodstream to detect and destroy fast-growing cells such as cancer cells.

Immunotherapy

During immunotherapy, the patient receives intravenous drugs to stimulate and strengthen his or her immune system, preparing it to attack the kidney cancer on its own.