Kidney Cancer

Overview

Kidney Cancer

In the later stages, kidney cancer signs and symptoms may include : -

• Blood in your urine, which may appear pink, red or cola-colored
• Back pain just below the ribs that doesn't go away
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Intermittent fever

Types of kidney cancer

The most common types of kidney cancer include : -

• Renal cell carcinoma : - This type of kidney cancer usually begins in the cells that line the small tubes of each nephron. In most cases, renal cell tumors grow as a single mass, but you may have more than one tumor in a kidney or develop tumors in both kidneys.



• Transitional cell carcinoma : - This type of kidney cancer develops in the tissue that forms the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. Transitional cell carcinomas can also begin in the ureters themselves or in the bladder.



• Wilms' tumor : - Wilms' tumor is a type of kidney cancer that occurs in young children.

Risk factors

Risk factors for renal cell carcinoma include : -

• Age : - Your risk of renal cell carcinoma increases as you age. Renal cell carcinoma occurs most commonly in people 60 and older.



• Sex : - Men are more likely to develop renal cell carcinoma than women are.



• Smoking : - Smokers have a greater risk of renal cell carcinoma than nonsmokers do. The risk increases the longer you smoke and decreases after you quit.



• Obesity : - People who are obese have a higher risk of renal cell carcinoma than do people who are considered average weight.



• High blood pressure (hypertension) : - High blood pressure increases your risk of renal cell carcinoma, but it isn't clear why. Some research in animals has linked high blood pressure medications to an increased risk of kidney cancer, but studies in people have had conflicting results.



• Chemicals in your workplace : - Workers who are exposed to certain chemicals on the job may have a higher risk of renal cell carcinoma. People who work with chemicals such as asbestos, cadmium and trichloroethylene may have an increased risk of kidney cancer.



• Treatment for kidney failure : - People who receive long-term dialysis to treat chronic kidney failure have a greater risk of developing kidney cancer. People who have a kidney transplant and receive immunosuppressant drugs also are more likely to develop kidney cancer.



• Von Hippel-Lindau disease : - People with this inherited disorder are likely to develop several kinds of tumors, including, in some cases, renal cell carcinoma.



• Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma : - Having this inherited condition makes it more likely you'll develop one or more renal cell carcinomas.

Risk factors for transitional cell carcinoma include : -

• Smoking : - Smoking increases your risk of transitional cell carcinomas.
• Chemicals in your workplace : - Working with certain chemicals may increase your risk of transitional cell carcinoma.
• A withdrawn medication : - Phenacetin, which was removed from the market in the United States in the early 1980s, has been linked to kidney cancer. Phenacetin was used in prescription and over-the-counter pain relievers.

Tests and diagnosis

you may also have one or more of the following tests to check your kidneys for growths or tumors : -

• Ultrasound. An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to generate images of your internal organs, such as your kidneys and bladder, on a computer screen.



• Computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan : - CT scans use computers to create more-detailed images than those produced by conventional X-rays. MRI scans use magnetic fields and radio waves to generate cross-sectional pictures of your body.



• Tissue sample (biopsy) : - In selected cases, your doctor may recommend a procedure to remove a small sample of cells (biopsy) from a suspicious area of your kidney. During a biopsy, a surgeon uses ultrasound or CT images to guide a long, thin needle into your kidney to remove the cells. The cells are then examined under a microscope to determine whether they are cancer.
  
  Biopsy procedures have risks, such as infection, bleeding and a very small chance that cancer could spread to the area where the needle is inserted. Because surgery is usually the first line treatment for kidney cancer, your doctor may forgo biopsy if he or she believes your tumor is very likely to be cancerous. That way you avoid the additional risks of a biopsy. Kidney biopsy is typically reserved for cases that are most likely to be noncancerous or for people who can't undergo an operation.

Tests and procedures used to diagnose transitional cell kidney cancer may include : -

• X-ray imaging of your urinary system (excretory urogram) : - X-rays of your urinary system may show signs of cancer. Your health care team will inject a dye into a vein in your arm. The dye is processed by your kidneys and your urinary system, and the dye makes it possible to see your urinary system on an X-ray.



• Looking inside your bladder (cystoscopy) : - Your doctor may use a long, narrow tube called a cystoscope to see the inside of your bladder. The cystoscope, which carries a light source and a special lens, is inserted through your urethra into your bladder. A cystoscope can also be used to extract a small tissue sample (biopsy) from any suspicious areas.

Kidney cancer stages include : -

• I. Tumor is small and confined to the kidney
• II. Tumor is larger than a stage I tumor, and is confined to the kidney
• III. Tumor extends beyond the kidney to the surrounding tissue or the adrenal glands, and may also spread to a nearby lymph node
• IV. Cancer spreads outside the kidney or to distant parts of the body

Treatments and drugs

Surgical procedures used to treat kidney cancer include : -

• Removing the affected kidney (nephrectomy) : - Radical nephrectomy involves the removal of the kidney as well as the adrenal gland that sits atop the kidney, a border of healthy tissue and adjacent lymph nodes. Nephrectomy can be done through an incision, meaning the surgeon makes a large cut in your skin to access your kidney. Or nephrectomy can be done laparoscopically, using small incisions to insert a video camera and tiny surgical tools. The surgeon watches a video monitor in order to perform the nephrectomy.



• Removing the tumor from the kidney (nephron-sparing surgery) : - During this procedure, the surgeon removes the tumor, rather than the entire kidney. Nephron-sparing surgery may be an option if you have only one kidney or if you have an early-stage kidney cancer.

These people have other options for treating their kidney cancers, including : -

• Blocking blood flow to the tumor (embolization) : - In this procedure, a special material is injected into the main blood vessel leading to the kidney. By clogging this vessel, the tumor is deprived of oxygen and other nutrients. Arterial embolization also may be used before an operation or to relieve pain and bleeding when an operation isn't possible. Side effects may include temporary nausea, vomiting or pain.



• Treatment to freeze cancer cells (cryoablation) : - Recent studies show cryoablation may be useful for treating kidney tumors that can't be removed through surgery. During cryoablation, one or more special needles (cryoprobes) are inserted through small incisions in your skin and into the tumor. Gas in the needles creates extreme cold that causes the cells around the point of each needle to freeze.
  
  Doctors use CT scans to monitor the procedure and to ensure that all of the visible cancer tissue and some of the surrounding healthy tissue is frozen. Another type of gas in the needles creates warmth to thaw the frozen tissue. Then the process is repeated. The cycles of freezing and thawing cause cancer cells to die. You may experience some pain after the procedure. Rare side effects may include bleeding, infection and damage to tissue surrounding the tumor.

Treatments for advanced and recurrent kidney cancer

In these situations, treatments may include : -

• Surgery to remove as much of the kidney tumor as possible : - Even when surgery can't remove all of your cancer, in some cases it may be helpful to remove as much of the cancer as possible.



• Drugs that use your immune system to fight cancer (biological therapy) : - Biological therapy (immunotherapy) uses your body's immune system to fight cancer. Drugs in this category include interferon and interleukin-2, which are synthetic versions of chemicals made in your body. These biological therapy drugs have serious side effects, including chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Biological therapy drugs are sometimes used alone, in combination or after surgery.



• Treatment that targets specific aspects of your cancer (targeted therapy) : - Targeted treatments block specific abnormal signals present in kidney cancer cells that allow them to proliferate. These drugs have shown promise in treating kidney cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. Two targeted drugs, sorafenib (Nexavar) and sunitinib (Sutent), block signals that play a role in the growth of blood vessels that provide nutrients to cancer cells and allow cancer cells to spread. Temsirolimus (Torisel), another targeted drug, blocks a signal that allows cancer cells to grow and survive. Targeted therapy drugs can cause side effects, such as a rash that can be severe, diarrhea and fatigue. Targeted drugs can also be very expensive, sometimes costing over $1,000 a treatment.



• Treatments for distant tumors : - Kidney cancer cells that travel to other parts of the body (metastasize) can sometimes be treated. This depends on the number of distant tumors, their locations and your general health. Treatment options vary based on where your cancer has spread. Options might include surgery for brain metastasis or radiation for kidney cancer that has spread to bones.



• Clinical trials : - Clinical trials are studies of new treatments and new techniques for treating kidney cancer and other diseases. Participating in a clinical trial may give you a chance to try the latest treatments, but it can't guarantee a cure. Discuss the available clinical trials with your doctor and carefully weigh the benefits and risks. Many kidney cancer clinical trials are studying new and existing targeted therapies to determine the best ways to use this new class of drugs.

Treatment for transitional cell cancer

The list of of world class Cancer hospitals in India is as follows : -

	Apollo Hospital, Chennai, India
	Apollo Specialty Hospital, Chennai, India
	Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore, India
	Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi, India
	Fortis Hospital, Noida, India
	Narayana Cancer Hospital, Bangalore, India
	Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon ( Delhi ) , India

For more information, medical assessment and medical quote send your detailed medical history and medical reports as email attachment to Email : - info@wecareindia.com Call: +91 9029304141 (10 am. To 8 pm. IST) (Only for international patients seeking treatment in India)