Kidney Cancer Symptoms

People who have kidney cancer symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, or pain in the abdomen and back need to be aware of the many types of disease and methods of treatment that are available today. Kidney cancer treatments can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, biotherapy, or naturopathic medicine. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located behind the abdomen that filter toxins out of the blood and perform other vital functions for the body, such as regulating blood pressure and regulating the production of red blood cells. One of the most common problems is renal cell carcinoma, in which malignant cells form in tubules of the kidney. A less common form is transitional cell carcinoma, which is located in the renal pelvis. Since it is similar to bladder carcinoma, it is often treated in the same way. Any cancerous tumor that originates in the renal organ may spread to the rest of the body, especially to nearby organs such as the liver, colon, or pancreas. These abnormal cells may also break away and spread throughout the lymphatic system and therefore to other parts of the body. That's why a doctor who finds the renal system infected will test to see if cells are found in the lymph nodes. These cancerous cells may also spread to the bones or lungs, called metastasis, and the disease found in these new areas will be the same as the disease found in the primary area.

Kidney cancer symptoms can include blood in the urine or a lump in the abdomen, weakness, fatigue, or pain. But many times, patients have no signs when the disease is in its early stages. As the disease progresses, the patient may feel pain in the side that doesn't go away, a loss of appetite, anemia, and experience weight loss. Since these can also be true for other conditions, it is important to get tests to determine the cause. When a patient comes in for a referral, the nephrologist will first take blood and urine tests to see how well the renal system is removing toxins from the body. The doctor will take a medical history in which he asks about the patient's appetite, medical problems, and family medical history. He may also order other tests, which may include imaging devices, biopsies, and other diagnostic methods. When the doctor determines which disease is present, he will order kidney cancer treatments. Usually, the first method is surgery. Radiation may be ordered in accordance with this surgery, depending on the stage of the patient's condition. Chemotherapy is also an option if the disease has spread to other areas of the body.


Other risk factors for the renal system are smoking and the misuse of certain pain medicines, especially certain over-the-counter drugs. Genetic factors, especially from diseases such as von Hippel-Lindau or papillary renal cell carcinoma, can point out a weakness for this disease, especially if the disease is located in the small tubes in the kidneys. These clean the blood by taking out waste products and making urine. The urine then goes from the kidneys to the bladder through a tube called the ureter where is is passed from the body. Any disease of the kidneys severely affects the body because that interferes with the body's ability to rid itself of toxins and extra liquid. This liquid can build up inside the body until the heart and lungs are affected, causing pulmonary symptoms or even a heart attack. Also, since the kidneys are not eliminating unneeded chemicals from the body, the body's chemical balance can be affected, causing all kinds of medical problems. Because the renal system is so important, any medications given to counteract the disease must be able to be handled by the body without the kidneys removing the medicine's waste.

A physical exam is one of the first of kidney cancer treatments to be ordered, with the doctor checking for general signs of health and for external signs of disease. Next, blood chemistry studies will be done to check for abnormal amounts of substances present in the blood. A urinalysis will check the color of the urine and its contents while a liver function test will measure the amount of enzymes. The doctor may order a series of diagnostic tests to further ascertain the progress of the disease. X-rays of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder may be ordered to take pictures of these organs. An ultrasound takes a picture called a sonogram whereas a CAT scan takes a series of pictures in which dye is injected into a vein or swallowed to make a contrast in these organs. An MRI may be used to make even more detailed pictures. A biopsy can determine the types of cells present in the organs. All these may be ordered if the kidney cancer symptoms continue and the physician finds the presence of disease.


Later, other kidney cancer treatments may be ordered to find out if the carcinoma has spread throughout the body. These include the CAT scan, MRI, x-rays, or a bone scan. This last procedure checks for rapidly dividing cells in the bone, which is a sign of a malignancy. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein where this material collects in the bones and is detected by the scanner. The doctor will also determine at what stage the malignancy has progressed. Stage one is when the tumor is smaller than a pea and only found in the renal system. Stage two is when the tumor is the size of a peanut and is also found only in the renal organs. In stage three, the tumor is the size of a walnut and has spread to one lymph node or in an adrenal gland or the fatty tissue around the organ or in the main blood vessels. Stage four malignancy is the size of a lime and has spread to other organs in the body and at this point, kidney cancer symptoms are probably pronounced. If a person finds himself in the throes of this disease, he can rely on this verse from the Bible, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee," (Isaiah 26:3). Peace comes from the heart, not from our circumstances.

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