PT Health Life – Kidney cancer is a rare type of cancer that does not cause symptoms in the early stages. Most people don’t know they have this condition unless a doctor accidentally discovers it after a routine checkup.
The kidneys help remove waste from the blood and toxins from the body with urine. This internal organ also regulates electrolytes in the body and sends signals to the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. When cells in your kidneys grow out of control, kidney cancer can occur.
Kidney cancer is a rare disease and accounts for about 2% of all cancers in the United States. Most people with kidney cancer do not experience any symptoms in the early stages. Symptoms only begin to appear after the disease has progressed or when the tumors have grown larger. You may experience blood in the urine, lower back pain, and unexplained weight loss.
1. Common symptoms of kidney cancer
Many people with kidney cancer have no signs in the early stages. In fact, kidney cancer is often discovered incidentally during a physical examination or routine scan, such as an X-ray or MRI.
There are three main types of kidney cancer: renal carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, and Wilms tumor. As the disease progresses, you may experience symptoms that are common to all three types of cancer above:
- Urinating blood
- Lower back pain is not caused by injury
- Tumor in the lower back or side of the abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fever
- Anemia
2. Symptoms of renal cell carcinoma
Renal cell carcinoma, also known as renal adenocarcinoma, is the most common type of kidney cancer. This disease accounts for about 85% of all kidney cancer cases. Men are more likely to develop renal cell carcinoma than women, but there is no specific reason for this phenomenon.
Renal cell carcinoma forms in the main part of the kidney. In the early stages, the cancer (tumor) is small and often causes no symptoms. About 25% of people with renal cell carcinoma do not experience any symptoms.
If you have symptoms, you may notice blood in your urine, a lump in your lower back or side, or lower back pain. However, having all of these symptoms together only occurs in about 10% of people with renal cell carcinoma.
3. Symptoms of transitional cell carcinoma
Transitional cell carcinoma accounts for about 7% of all kidney cancers. This type of cancer does not start in the main part of the kidney. Instead, transitional cell carcinoma begins in the renal pelvis, the top part of the ureters. Your ureters are tubes that connect your kidneys to your bladder. Cancer can persist in the renal pelvis or spread to the kidney or bladder as malignant cells continue to grow.
The cells that line your ureters are called transitional cells because they have characteristics of cells found in the kidneys and bladder, but they can also change shape and stretch. Transitional cell carcinoma is also found in about 4% of people with bladder cancer.
You will not develop symptoms when transitional cell carcinoma is in its early stages. As the cancer progresses, symptoms may progress to common symptoms of kidney cancer in addition to extreme fatigue and painful or frequent urination.
Symptoms of Wilms tumor
Wilms tumor, also known as nephroblastoma, is a kidney cancer that primarily occurs in children, usually between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Tumors can develop in one or both kidneys. This condition is the most common kidney and stomach cancer and the fourth most common cancer in children.
Children with Wilms tumor often have no symptoms until the cancer metastasizes (spreads). This explains why a swollen or enlarged abdomen is often the first symptom that may be noticed. Abdominal pain is the most common symptom, occurring in 30-40% of children with Wilms’ tumor.
Some other symptoms of this type include high blood pressure and nausea. About 25% of children with Wilms’ tumor have high blood pressure. Fortunately, in many cases, removing the tumor reduces blood pressure.
When to contact your doctor?
Kidney cancer is often detected during a routine check-up. However, if you notice any major symptoms such as blood in your urine, lumps or pain in the kidney area, or sudden weight loss, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Doctors may order tests to confirm your diagnosis and guide your treatment plan.
Summary: Kidney cancer is a rare type of cancer that does not cause symptoms in the early stages. Unfortunately, most people don’t even know they have this condition unless a health care provider accidentally discovers it after a routine doctor’s visit.
There are three main types of kidney cancer: renal cell carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, and Wilms tumor. They have many common symptoms, such as blood in the urine, pain or lumps in the lower back, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, and anemia. If you have these symptoms or may be at risk for kidney cancer, it’s important to see your doctor right away to detect the disease early and begin treatment.
