What is kidney cancer?
Kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located on either side of the spinal cord. The major function of the kidneys is to filter the waste products from the blood, apart from maintaining blood pressure and hormonal functions.
Sometimes, tumours can develop in the kidneys and they can turn out to be cancerous. Such malignant tumours are called cancers of the kidney. Not all masses that form in the kidney can be cancerous. About one in four tumours of the kidney are non-cancerous. Visit Dr. Saphalta Baghmar, the leading kidney cancer specialist in Delhi for your treatment.
What are the causes and risk factors for kidney cancer?
The exact cause of kidney cancer has not been determined yet. But certain factors have been found to increase the probability of kidney cancer. Visit us at Max Specialty Centre for the right diagnosis and early treatment with the best kidney cancer specialist in Delhi.
- Smoking: It increases the risk of kidney cancers two times.
- Gender: Men are more prone to have kidney cancers and are twice at risk as women.
- Poor diet: Consuming an unhealthy diet, in the long run, increases the risk of malignant changes inside the body, thereby causing kidney cancer.
- Drug-induced: Studies have shown that people taking certain painkillers for a long time are prone to kidney cancer. This includes prescription medication also. Therefore, use pain medication only after consulting your doctor.
- Chemical exposure: Exposure to chemicals such as benzene, trichloroethylene, cadmium, vinyl chloride, etc., increases the risk of kidney cancer.
- Long-term dialysis: For those who have long-term kidney malfunction and have been undergoing dialysis for a long time, there is a significant chance of having kidney cancer.
- Hypertension: Having high blood pressure for a long time multiplies the chances of getting renal cancer.
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What are the types of kidney cancer?
- Renal cell carcinoma:
- Also called renal cell cancer (RCC), this is one of the most common forms of kidney cancer.
- About 9 in 10 renal cancers are renal cell carcinomas.
- There are different types of renal cell carcinoma depending upon their microscopic appearance.
- RCC may be clear cell carcinoma where the cells look clear under the microscope.
- RCC may also be non-clear cell carcinoma which includes papillary RCC, chromophobe RCC, collecting duct RCC, medullary RCC, etc.
- Some forms of unclassified renal cell carcinoma have an undefined appearance.
- Transitional carcinoma: This type is also known as urothelial carcinoma and accounts for about 5–10% of kidney cancers. It arises from the cells of the portion where the ureter meets the kidneys.
- Nephroblastoma or Wilms tumour: This type of renal cancer occurs in children.
- Renal sarcoma: This type of cancer occurs in the blood vessels or the renal connective tissues.
Schedule an appointment with us to consult with the most recommended kidney cancer specialist in Delhi.
What are the major symptoms of kidney cancer?
The kidney cancer symptoms include:
- Hematuria (blood in the urine): Sometimes your urine may look darker or reddish. This symptom is due to tumour bleeding from time to time. The blood in urine may be on and off. You must always consult your doctor when you notice any change in colour while passing urine which may range from a rusty red to a deep red colour.
- Back pain: When the tumour grows larger, it exerts pressure and causes pain on the side or the back of the abdomen (commonly known as the loin area).
- High fever: When there is a tumour, it causes the release of substances known as pyrogens; those that cause an increase in body temperature. These substances impede the functioning of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls temperature.
- Chills: In response to the high temperature, the body attempts to reduce body heat by shivering.
- Weight loss: You may experience unintended weight loss as the cancer cells demand more energy to keep growing. The regular intake is insufficient to meet the abnormal energy needs.
- Swelling: This may be in the location of the kidneys.
- Ankle and leg swelling: When the growing tumour affects the function of the kidneys, the excess fluid removal is affected. This causes fluid accumulation, resulting in swelling.
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
- High blood pressure
- Polycythemia (excessive red blood cells in the blood): This is due to a substance called erythropoietin produced by the kidneys to stimulate RBC production.
- Lack of symptoms is one of the numerous reasons that cancer is rarely discovered in its early stages.The symptoms of kidney cancer are not noticeable at the early stages and are often found accidentally through CT scans of other organs.
How is kidney cancer diagnosed?
The diagnosis of kidney cancer is done through an analysis of kidney cancer symptoms, a combination of tests, and imaging procedures.
Blood and urine tests: These tests are done to assess the functioning of the kidneys and how well they eliminate waste from the body.
Imaging procedures: Various imaging techniques are used to determine the type and stage of kidney cancer.
- An ultrasound: This is a type of imaging that uses sound waves to create images of the kidneys.
- CT scan: This imaging technique uses a dye that is injected into your veins following which various images are captured. They are then put together for a comprehensive assessment.
- MRI scan: An MRI scan uses magnetic fields and incorporates radio waves to capture detailed images of the kidneys.
- Biopsy: Tissue samples are taken under anaesthesia and then analysed in a laboratory that helps to detect the type of cancer and the stage of malignancy
At Max Specialty Centre, we have the best kidney cancer specialist in Delhi who will guide you in detecting the symptoms with the right testing and treatment.
What are the treatment options for kidney cancer?
The treatment of kidney cancer will depend upon the type of cancer and the stage of malignancy. Kidney cancer is treated by:
- Surgery: Surgical removal of tumours is the commonest form of treatment for renal cancer. Radical nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, or simple nephrectomy may be resorted to.
- Radiation therapy: In patients who cannot have surgery, this therapy is advised.
- Radiofrequency ablation: This involves using a fine needle inserted into the tumour and the malignant cells destroyed using electric current.
- Cryoablation: Using a CT scan and an ultrasound for guidance, a needle is inserted into the renal tumours and the malignant cells are destroyed using freezing temperatures.
- Medication:
- Targeted therapy: This therapy targets the specific tumour cells inside the kidney.
- Immunotherapy: This involves boosting the body’s immunity to fight the tumour that has attacked the body by using agents such as nivolumab,ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, etc.
- Chemotherapy: One drug or a combination of different drugs are given for a certain number of cycles to destroy cancer cells.
