Project Description
Kidney Cancer Treatment & Symptoms
- Blood in the urine (urine slightly rusty to deep red)
- Pain in the side that does not go away
- A lump or mass in the side or the abdomen
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Feeling very tired or having a general feeling of poor health
Most often, these symptoms do not mean cancer. An infection, a cyst, or another problem also can cause similar symptoms. A person with any of these symptoms should see a doctor so that the problem can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
If a patient has symptoms that suggest kidney cancer, the doctor may perform one or more of the following procedures:
Physical exam: The doctor checks the general signs of health and examines for fever and high blood pressure. The doctor also feels the abdomen and side for any lump.
Urine tests: Urine is checked for blood and other signs of disease.
Blood tests: The lab checks the blood to see how well the kidneys are working. The lab may check the level of several substances, such as creatinine, urea, uric acid etc. High level of creatinine may reflect that the kidneys are not doing their job.
Ultrasound test: The ultrasound device uses sound waves that people cannot hear. The waves bounce off the kidneys, and a computer uses the echoes to create a picture called a sonogram. A solid tumor or cyst shows up on a sonogram.
CT scan: An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of the kidneys. The patient may receive an injection of dye which show up the kidneys clearly in the pictures. A CT scan can show a kidney tumor.
Biopsy: In some cases, the doctor may do a biopsy. Biopsy is the removal of tissue to look for cancer cells. The doctor inserts a thin needle through the skin into the kidney to remove a small amount of tissue. The doctor may use ultrasound or x-ray to guide the needle. A pathologist uses a microscope to look for cancer cells in the tissue.
Surgery: In most cases, based on the results of the CT scan, ultrasound and x-ray, the doctor gets enough information to recommend surgery to remove the part or entire kidney. A pathologist makes the final diagnosis by examining the tissue under a microscope.
To plan the best treatment, the doctor needs to know the stage (extent) of the disease. The stage is based on the size of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body.
Staging may involve imaging tests such as an ultrasound,CT scan, or even an MRI.
Stage I
It is an early stage of kidney cancer. The tumor measures up to 2.75 inches (7 cms). It is no bigger than a tennis ball. The cancer cells are found only in the kidney.
Stage II
It is also an early stage of kidney cancer, but the tumor measures more than 2.75 inches. The cancer cells are found only in the kidney.
Stage III
- The tumor does not extend beyond the kidney, but cancer cells have spread through the lymphatic system to one nearby lymph node
- The tumor has invaded the adrenal gland or the layers of fat and fibrous tissue that surround the kidney, but have not spread beyond the fibrous tissue. Cancer cells may be found in one nearby lymph node
- The cancer cells have spread from the kidney to a nearby large blood vessel. Cancer cells may be found in one nearby lymph node.
Stage IV
- The tumor extends beyond the fibrous tissue that surrounds the kidney
- Cancer cells are found in more than one nearby lymph node
- The cancer has spread to other places in the body such as the lungs.
Recurrent cancer is the cancer that has come back (recurred) after treatment. It may come back in the kidney or in another part of the body.