Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal Cell Carcinoma Symptoms And Treatment

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. There is another type of cancer known as transitional cell cancer which can begin in the kidneys but more often affects the ureters. A third type, Wilms' tumor, is more likely to develop in children.

The exact causes of renal cell carcinoma have yet to be determined by medical researchers. It is known, however, that renal cell carcinoma follows the same pattern as other types of cancers: abnormal cells divide and grow, eventually forming a tumor. These renal cell carcinoma cells may spread to tissues and lymph nodes near the kidneys, and can even travel to distant organs. If renal cell carcinoma spreads to another organ such as the liver or bladder, (a process known as metastasis), it is described as metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Doctors use a system of kidney cancer stages to describe how far a case of kidney cancer has progressed. The survival rate of kidney cancer patients can be estimated based on these stages, which range from 1 to 4.

Renal cell carcinoma survival often depends on how early it is diagnosed.

There are few symptoms of kidney cancer in the early stages. But the following symptoms may begin to appear as the disease progresses to later stages.

• dark, cloudy or reddish urine, indicating the presence of blood
• "flank" or lower back pain, which may be mild (like a dull ache) or extremely severe
• unexpected or unplanned weight loss
• fatigue weakness, and an inability to concentrate
• fever that may come or go

If you begin to experience any of these renal cell carcinoma symptoms, it's best to see a doctor as soon as you can.

Treatment for kidney cancer is similar to traditional treatments for other types of cancer. Your general health is important in determining a course of action, especially if you have other health challenges. But the type of renal cell carcinoma treatment you receive will depend most on the stage your kidney cancer has reached.
 
Surgery is the generally the first choice for renal cell carcinoma in the early stages, when the tumor is still confined to the kidney. When all or part of a kidney is removed, the procedure is called a nephrectomy. If cancer has spread to the adjacent adrenal gland and it is also removed, the operation is called a radical nephrectomy.

A renal cell carcinoma nephrectomy can be done using a large open incision, or it can be done laparoscopically. For additional details, click on kidney removal surgery.

Treatment for renal cell carcinoma offers other options if kidney surgery is not appropriate.

Chemotherapy - This option has been around for decades and most people are already familiar with it. Chemotherapy introduces cancer fighting drugs into the body. It isn't used often as treatment for renal carcinoma, although it may have some value in shrinking a large tumor so it can be removed more easily through surgery. It may also be useful if cancer has spread to distant organs or parts if the body.

Embolization - This is a procedure for blocking the flow of blood to the tumor. Without a supply of blood, cancer cells "starve" and the tumor shrinks.

Cryoablation - This renal cell carcinoma treatment involves freezing the cancer cells. Currently, there's little research data on how well cryoablation works, so it's generally used only for people who can't undergo other surgical procedures and or have relatively small tumors.

Radiofrequency ablation - This treatment for renal cell carcinoma uses an electric current that kills cancer cells by overheating them.

Targeted therapy - The goal of targeted therapy is to block specific chemical signals in abnormal cells and stop them from dividing and growing. A number of drugs have shown some promise for this type of renal cell carcinoma. There is a downside though because these drugs sometimes cause side effects that include a severe rash, diarrhea and fatigue.

Renal cell carcinoma cases seem to have been on the rise in recent years, although no one knows why.