Kidney Cancer
Poster by Alyssa Uttech and Colby Kimps
What is it?
Kidney cancer is cancer in the kidney(s). There are many different types of kidney cancer; such as Renal cell carcinoma, Transitional cell carcinoma, Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma), Benign kidney tumors include Renal adenoma, Oncocytoma, and Angiomyolipoma
What are Symptoms?
Blood in your urine
A lump in your side or abdomen
A loss of appetite
A pain in your side that doesn't go away
Weight loss that occurs for no known reason
Fever that lasts for weeks and isn't caused by a cold or other infection
Extreme fatigue
Anemia
Swelling in your ankles or legs
Facts
- Some types can spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymphatic system or main veins
- Usually occurs in people 40+
- Contained inside kidney(s)
- Risks increased by....
- Smoking
- Being male
- Obese
- Using certain pain medications for a long time
- a family history of kidney cancer
- Having high blood pressure
- Being African American
- Having Lymphoma
Testing Procedures
- Blood and Urine
- Biopsy
- X-Ray
- Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
- Bone Scan
- Computed Tomography (CT or CAT) scan
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Cystoscopy and nephroureteroscopy
The TNM Staging System is based on the extent of the tumor (T), the extent of spread to the lymph nodes (N), and the presence of metastasis (M). The T category describes the original (primary) tumor.
Treatment
Stages I-III
- Surgery, partial kidney/whole kidney
- Targeted therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy after surgery
- Can’t do surgery, then do cryotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, arterial embolization, or radiation, but are less effective than surgery
Stage IV
- Surgery might still be available
- Targeted therapy
- If spread to lungs or another area, surgery both kidney and metastasis
- Radiation