Kidney Cancer - Causes, Symptoms, Risks Factors and More

2022-02-24 / RG STONE HOSPITAL / Urinary / Kidney Stone

The changes(mutations) in the DNA of our cells cause cancer. Genes are formed up by a chemical called DNA found in our cells.

 Some genes that aid in cell growth, division, and death are :

1. Genes that promote cell growth, divide, and stay alive are called Oncogenes.

2. Genes that aid in the control of cell growth or cause the cells to die at the right time are called tumor suppressor genes.

DNA mutations that turn on Oncogenes and turn off tumor suppressor genes give cancer. Therefore, Kidney cancer is caused when the genes in one or both kidneys mutate. The most frequent type of kidney cancer in adults is Renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Kidney cancer nowadays appears to be becoming more frequently occurring.

 One reason for this could be that imaging procedures like CT scans are becoming more common, and these examinations may result in the unintentional identification of more kidney cancers.

SYMPTOMS OF KIDNEY CANCER INCLUDES:

? Unexplained weight loss

? Tiredness

? Fever

? Unbearable pain in back or side

? Loss of appetite

? Red, pink, or cola-colored blood in your urine.

 Factors that raise the risk of kidney disease include:

?    Obesity: Obese people are more likely to get kidney cancer because having too much body fat raises insulin levels and insulin growth factors( IGF-1).

?    High Blood Pressure: High BP can cause significant changes in kidney function, making the organ more sensitive to carcinogens and tumor formation.

?    Smoking: Many cancer-causing substances in tobacco smoke 

 are absorbed into your blood circulation by your lungs. Because your kidneys filter this blood, many of these toxic substances get concentrated into your kidneys.

?    Older Age: Adults are most likely to get kidney cancer, with most cases occurring between 50 and 70.

?    Family history of Kidney cancer: People with a strong family history of Kidney cancer are at a higher risk of developing it.

?    Treatment of Kidney Cancer: Long-term dialysis is linked to a higher risk of kidney cancer in people with chronic renal failure

DIAGNOSING KIDNEY CANCER:

? Small amounts of blood may be found in the urine of some persons with early kidney cancer during a regular urine test, which is sometimes a part of thorough medical checkups. Blood and urine tests may provide indications to your doctor.

? A doctor often recommends standard imaging tests such as CT scans, MRI, and ultrasound to visualize the tumor or abnormality.

? Removing a sample of kidney tissue (Biopsy)- The extracted sample is tested thoroughly to check the presence of kidney disease.

Prevention:

1. QUIT SMOKING:  If you smoke, give it up! Support groups, medications, and nicotine replacement products are just a few choices for quitting smoking.

2. MAINTAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT:  Work hard to stay in shape with a healthy diet reduce the calories consumption by each passing day.

3. CONTROL HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:  If you have high Blood pressure, you can focus on lowering it. Balance your lifestyle with exercise, weight loss, and dietary modifications.

TYPES OF KIDNEY CANCER:

?    Renal cell carcinoma- is the most common type of kidney cancer, also majorly known as hypernephroma or renal adenocarcinoma.

?    Urothelial carcinoma- Also known as transitional cell carcinoma, is the most common type of bladder cancer.

?    Sarcoma- This type of cancer starts building in the bones and soft tissues of the body, including cartilage, blood vessels, fat, muscle, fibrous tissue, or other adjoining/ supportive tissue.

?    Wilms tumor- is also known as nephroblastoma, cancer that affects children. 

?    Lymphoma- is the type of cancer caused in the lymphatic system( body’s disease-fighting network).

TREATMENT :

 A multidisciplinary team comprising of Urologist, Uro-Oncologist, Medical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist aims to work together over the issue. Surgery to remove kidney cancer is the first step in treating. Treatment options and recommendations are based on various factors, including the type of cancer cell and stage, potential side effects, patient preferences, and overall health. Surgery, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of these treatments for kidney cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are sometimes used to treat cancer patients. Patients with metastatic kidney cancer, also known as advanced kidney cancer, often receive multiple lines of treatment ( treatment given one after the other).

Surgical tumors are treated with : 

RADICAL NEPHRECTOMY-  Radical nephrectomy is a surgery that removes the tumor, the entire kidney, and the surrounding tissue. If the illness has contaminated the adjoining tissues and lymph nodes, a radical nephrectomy, 

and lymph node dissection is undertaken.

PARTIAL NEPHRECTOMY-  The tumor is surgically removed in partial nephrectomy. Following surgery, this form of surgery preserves kidney function and reduces the risk of developing chronic renal disease. It proves to be highly effective for T1 tumors.

LAPAROSCOPIC AND ROBOTIC SURGERY-  A minimally invasive surgery where the surgeon makes a series of tiny incisions in the abdomen, rather than one large incision done in a traditional surgery procedure. Telescoping equipment is inserted via small keyhole incisions to obliterate the kidney or do a partial nephrectomy. Usage of robotic instruments is also used to carry out the surgery.

NON SURGICAL TUMORS ARE TREATED BY-

1. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)-  The procedure performed by an interventional radiologist or urologist where a needle is injected into the tumor, and an electrical current is used to eliminate the tumor 

2. Cryoablation- Cryoablation is also known as cryotherapy or cryosurgery

A metal probe is inserted inside the cancerous tissue to freeze the cancer cells through a small incision. 

Some therapies are carried out using only medication 

Systematic treatment is done where the medicines are either inserted through the mouth or injected into the bloodstream to reach the cancer cells effectively. This therapy is prescribed by the Medical Oncologist, a specialized doctor in treating cancer with medication.

The types of systematic therapies used for kidney cancer include -

? Chemotherapy

? Immunotherapy

? Targeted therapy

Survival rates of kidney cancer can show you what proportion of persons with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive after a given length of time has passed since their diagnosis. Mbbs in Russia

When a survival rate for a particular stage of kidney cancer is 80 percent, persons with that cancer are around 80 percent as likely to live for at least five years after being diagnosed as people who do not have that cancer.

With our competent team of professionals on the case, RG Stone Hospital gives world-class treatment in the case of diagnosing and treating cancer with full potential.