RENAL CELL CARCINOMA
Renal cell carcinoma is the most common form of kidney cancer in adults, accounting for about 90-95% of all cases of kidney cancer.
- There are 2 kidneys in our body, located on each side of the backbone just above the waist.
- There are tiny tubes in the kidney called tubules that filter and clean the blood, aid in excreting waste products, and help make urine.
- Renal cell carcinoma originates in the lining of the tubules. This means that the condition occurs when cancer cells start growing uncontrollably in the lining of the tubules of the kidney.
- Renal cell carcinoma occurs mostly in older people especially men, usually between ages 50-70.
- It often starts just as a single mass of the tumor, but sometimes more than one tumor can grow in one or both kidneys.
- The condition also referred to as renal cell cancer, is fast-growing and often metastasize to the lungs and surrounding organs.
- Where cancer has not metastasized or eaten deep into the kidney, the 5 years survival rate is usually about 65-90%, but this is lowered considerably if otherwise.
CAUSES
The exact cause of the condition is unknown. But, doctors know that renal cell carcinoma occurs when something triggers a genetic mutation within the cells in the kidney. These causes normal cell in the kidney to become abnormal and multiply rapidly and continue to accumulate, forming a tumor or mass.
Certain risk factors that may increase the risk of renal cell carcinoma are:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Occasional exposure to certain chemicals such as lead, asbestos, cadmium.
- Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- A family history of the condition
- Dialysis treatment
- Hypertension
- Some inherited condition, especially von Hippel-Lindau disease
- Polycystic kidney disease
SYMPTOMS
No symptoms may appear in the early stage, but as cancer progresses, symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Blood in the urine
- Unexplained weight loss
- Vision problems
- Excessive hair growth (in women)
- A lump on the side, belly, or lower back
- Fever
- Persistent pain in the side
- Night Sweats
- Anemia
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
To make a diagnosis, the doctor will review your medical and family history. The doctor will then carry out a physical examination to assess your general health including checking for lumps in the abdomen, or enlarged veins in the scrotal sac, in men.
If the condition is diagnosed, the doctor will carry out some other tests to get an accurate diagnosis. These may include:
- CT scan to get a closer look at the kidney to detect any abnormal growth.
- Urine examination to detect blood in the urine and analyze cells in the urine looking for evidence of cancer.
- Complete blood count
- Biopsy
- Abdominal and kidney ultrasound
The stages of the cancer are determined based on how far cancer has spread. This will help the doctor to determine the best treatment option. Tests such as chest X-ray, CT scan and blood test can be used to determine your cancer stage. These ranges from I-V.
Stage 1, cancer is confined to the kidney and is of diameter 7cm or smaller
Stage 2, cancer is still limited or confined to the kidney but with a diameter more than 7cm
Stage 3, cancer has spread to the nearby lymph nodes but do not involve distant organs
Stage 4, cancer has spread to both near and distant lymph nodes and to the other organs in the body such as the brain, and lungs.
- TREATMENT
Treatment option may include:
- Surgery to remove part or all of the kidney
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Biologic therapy to boost your body’s own defenses to fight cancer cells.
- Targeted therapy which is targeted to attack certain cancer cells without damaging healthy cells