What is the Kidney?
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped, fist-sized organs on either side of the spine in the lower abdomen. The kidneys are part of the urinary tract and make urine by removing wastes and extra water from the blood.
Urine collects in the middle of each kidney and passes from the renal pelvis into the bladder through the ureter then leaves the body through the urethra.
What is Kidney Cancer?
Kidney Cancer is a disease in which kidney cells become malignant (cancerous) and grow out of control, forming a tumor. Almost all kidney cancers first appear in the lining of tiny tubes in the kidney. This type of kidney cancer is called renal cell carcinoma.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), also known as renal cell cancer or renal cell adenocarcinoma, is by far the most common type of kidney cancer. About 9 out of 10 kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas. Although RCC usually grows as a single tumor within a kidney, sometimes there are 2 or more tumors in one kidney or even tumors in both kidneys at the same time.
When kidney cancer spreads, it can be found in the lymph nodes and may spread through the bloodstream to the lungs, bone, or liver.
Signs and symptoms of Kidney Cancer
Symptoms may include any of the following:
- Blood in the urine that appears a rusty to deep red color
- A lump or mass in the side of the abdomen
- Pain in the side
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
Traditional treatment options for kidney cancer
There are various treatment options for kidney cancer depending on the location and stage of cancer but may include surgery to remove the tumor and surrounding tissue, chemotherapy, and/or radiation.