Kidney cancer tends to be slightly more prevalent in men than in women, and there appears to be a similar link with smoking. The kidneys act as a hugely powerful filter of the blood, separating the ‘good’ elements which are needed by the body from the waste, which is passed out of the body as urine. The kidneys are extremely efficient and although we have two, the body could manage perfectly well with only one.
The main type of kidney cancer is renal-cell carcinoma. Its main symptoms are bleeding, which will be noticed in the urine, and possibly pain, discomfort or swelling in the kidney region – in your back and side of the abdomen, below the ribs. Again, it should be stressed that blood in your urine may result from a cause other than cancer, but it should nonetheless warrant an appointment with your doctor.
Kidney cancer can spread via the lymph nodes, but may also travel to other parts of the body via the bloodstream. Diagnosis is likely to involve physical examination, urine tests and various X-rays (with dyes to show unusual features in the kidney), and scans to check whether the cancer has spread.
Surgery is generally the mainstay of treatment in kidney cancer. Treatment is likely to involve surgery to remove the affected kidney, sometimes even when the cancer has spread further. If it has not spread, then the hope is for a complete cure. Even if it has spread, the surgery can be worthwhile to relieve any pain and discomfort.
Other therapies might be proposed, such as hormone therapy or chemotherapy, and if so these should be discussed with your doctors.
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