Facts You Must Know About Kidney Cancer

Cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the kidney cells. The kidneys are the two bean-shaped organs located behind your abdominal organ on either side of the spine. It plays a crucial role in filtering blood and removing waste products from the body. The common type of kidney cancer is the renal cell carcinoma. Other types of kidney cancer include transitional cell carcinoma, Wilms tumor, and renal sarcoma. The major signs of kidney cancer are blood in the urine, abdominal or back pain, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, tiredness, high blood pressure, high calcium, and a lump in the kidney area. Regular checkups with a healthcare provider help you detect kidney cancer early, which improves your chances of a successful treatment. Oncoplus Hospital, the cancer hospital in Delhi, wants to inform you about kidney cancer. In this blog, you will learn the facts about kidney cancer.

Symptoms of Kidney Cancer:

The symptoms of kidney cancer can vary from person to person, and some people may not experience any symptoms at all in the early stages of the disease. The most common symptoms of kidney cancer are blood in the urine, pain in the side or back, weight loss, fatigue, fever, swelling in the legs or ankles, loss of appetite, and tiredness.

Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer:

1. The risk factor for kidney cancer is smoking. Cigarette smoke contains numerous chemicals that can damage DNA, and smokers are more likely to develop kidney cancer than non-smokers.
2. Other risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, and exposure to certain chemicals.
3. Chronic kidney disease is also a risk factor for kidney cancer, as are certain inherited conditions such as Von Hippel-Lindau disease, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma, etc.
4. If close family members have a kidney disease, then the risk of having kidney cancer increases.

Prevention Tips

While not all risk factors for kidney cancer are preventable, there are steps that individuals can take to reduce their risk. These include quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, managing high blood pressure, and avoiding exposure to harmful chemicals. It is also important to get regular check-ups and discuss your kidney health with your healthcare provider. By taking proactive measures, individuals can reduce their risk of developing kidney cancer and other kidney-related illnesses.

Treatment Options for Kidney Cancer:

The treatment options for kidney cancer depend on several factors, such as the stage and location of the tumor, the patient’s overall health, and the presence of other medical conditions. The treatment options available for kidney cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy.

1. Surgery:

Surgery is basically the primary treatment for kidney cancer. The most common surgical procedure is a radical nephrectomy, which involves removing the entire affected kidney, surrounding tissue, and nearby lymph nodes. In some cases, a partial nephrectomy surgeon removes only the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue while preserving the remaining healthy kidney tissue.

2. Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses radiation to kill cancer cells. It is not a common treatment for kidney cancer but may be used in some cases, such as when surgery is not an option or when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Read More Blog:- Treatment Of Cancer With Radiation Therapy

3. Targeted Therapy:

In targeted therapy treatment, doctors use drugs to target specific molecules that are responsible for the growth and spread of cancer cells. These drugs can block the cancer cells that are used to divide and grow, or they can trigger the immune system to attack cancer cells.

Read More Blog:- Targeted Therapy For Treating Advanced Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

4. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment in which doctors use medications to boost the immune system’s ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. The most common type of immunotherapy for kidney cancer is checkpoint inhibitors, which block proteins that prevent the immune system from attacking cancer cells.

Read More Blog:- How Does Immunotherapy Help In The Fight Against Cancer?

At Oncoplus Hospital, you can consult the best cancer doctors in Delhi. In conclusion, kidney cancer can be treated with a combination of surgical, radiation, and systemic therapies. The choice of treatment depends on the individual patient’s situation and a multidisciplinary team of doctors and specialists.