Kidney Cancer

Kidney Cancer is the malignancy of the kidney tissues found in the lining of the miniature tubes that clean blood and excrete waste (renal cell carcinoma or renal adenocarcinoma) and those tissues at the core of the kidney where urine accumulates (renal pelvis carcinoma). Wilms tumour is also a form of kidney cancer that normally develops in under the age group of five children.

Renal cell carcinoma is the widely accounted type of kidney cancer that constitutes nine out ten reported cases. It is seen to occur in elderly individuals averaging 65 years with atypical occurrence in those below 40 years.

Kidney Cancer Causes:

Though the exact causes for kidney cancer are still quite blurred, research has revealed that certain risk factors make an individual more prone to the disease. They include:

• Those who consume tobacco are doubling their chances of getting kidney cancer. The longer span of time a person smokes, the greater the risk, though the risk reduces for those that quit.
• Being obese or grossly overweight is correlated to nearly three of the ten kidney cancer cases.
• There has been a common observation that kidney cancer is generally noticed in individuals with high blood pressure or perhaps due to the medications taken in the due course.
• Those with improper functioning kidneys that undergo dialysis for extended periods of time are at risk of getting kidney cancer.
• An uncommon genetic disorder caused due to abnormalities in the Von-Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene known as the VHL syndrome leads to ulcer or tumour formation in the eyes, brain or other body parts that leads to kidney cancer. Another type of atypical genetic condition is Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome. Though inherited conditions make up a smaller number of cases, yet those with genetic pre-disposition must seek medical advice as to early diagnosis of kidney cancer and other diseases prior to the symptomatic appearance.
• Those with occupational hazards like exposure to asbestos, cadmium, benzene, other organic solvents and coke oven operators from iron and steel plants.
• Men are known to be twice at risk in comparison to women to getting kidney cancer. Annually, U.S. has a reported 20,000 cases of men and 12,000 women who find out they have contracted lung cancer. Many that have the risk factors might not get kidney cancer, while contrarily those who do contract the disease have had no risk factors.

Kidney Cancer Symptoms:

Though in the preliminary stages, kidney cancer is asymptomatic, but as its spreads symptoms become evident. They may comprise of:

• The widely common indicator of blood being passed through the urine.
• A lumpy or mass formation on the sides or in the abdominal area.
• A persistent pain on the sides or back.
• Decreased craving for food and loss in weight.
• General sense of fatigue or ill health.
• Fever.
• Increased blood pressure or reduced red blood cell count (anaemia) may also indicate the presence of kidney cancer.

Sometimes the presence of an infection, cyst formation or other illness could also exhibit similar symptoms. An individual displaying any of the above symptoms must get medical assistance for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Exams & Tests:

After taking into consideration the general or family medical history and a detailed physical examination, the tests undertaken would comprise of:

• A urinalysis test to detect presence of blood in the urine.
• Blood tests to find any presence of infection, anaemia, the creatinine levels in the kidney among other substances, liver function test.
• Intravenous pyelogram or IVP is the set of x-rays undertaken of the kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder subsequent to intravenous injection of a dye that aids in detecting presence of any ailment including cancer, kidney stones in the urinary tract.
• Any kidney tumour is detected by a computed tomography scan or CT scan.
• An x-ray of the chest will help to decipher the extent of disease spread to the lungs.
• A bone scan will help to detect if the bones have been infected with the disease.
• An MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanning technique with the aid of a magnet helps find out whether the cancer has travelled to the brain or the spinal cord.
• With the help of a miniscule quantity of radioactive substance, the cancer spread to the lymph nodes or other body organs can be detected with the assistance of the PET or Positron emission tomography scan.
• A biopsy using the fine needle aspirator technique with the assistance of ultrasound, a tissue sample is extracted for laboratory analysis.

Kidney Cancer Treatment:

Treatment alternatives include:

• Surgical intervention being the adept choice wherein through the procedure called nephrectomy, in majority of the cases, the entire kidney is done away with. Alternatively through partial-nephrectomy, simply the tumour is removed, leaving the remaining functional part of the kidney that can be undertaken if both kidneys are infected or the tumour is in its initial stages. The infected lymph nodes could also be removed during surgery.
• In Radiation therapy, using high power dosage of x-rays, the cancerous cells can be stunted prior to surgery or on those unwell and incapable of surgery.
• Arterial embolization involves blocking the flow of blood within the artery that leads to cancer, thus aiding in shrivelling the tumours prior to surgery. This aids in decreasing the appearance of symptoms in those cases where surgery is unfeasible.
• The first option employed in case of metastasis, the localised target therapy employs the use of medication to attack the specific undesirable substances associated with malignant cancer growth. For instance, some medicines hinder the proliferation of blood vessels that provide for the tumours.
• Biological therapy or Immunotherapy is a form of systemic therapy that involves the usage of substances that pass through the bloodstream, targeting the malignant cells, thus bolstering the body’s innate immunity to combat cancer. In metastatic kidney cancer patients, the use of alpha or interleukin-2 (IL-2 or aldesleukin) is medically advised. This is innately produced by the body in small quantities on encountering any infection.
• Cancer fighting drugs are administered through the entire body by the use of Chemotherapy, a form of systemic therapy that is opted for when targeted therapy or immunotherapy has no visible effects. Various pain suppressants among others medicines are given to combat the pain and side effects associated with the treatment.
• Cryoablation involves the freezing of the cancerous cells using one or more specialized needles or cryoprobes that are pierced into the skin with extremely cold gas been inserted through it to kill the tumor.
• Clinical trials are suggested to many patients as it offers a chance to sample the latest treatments.

Possible Complications:

The kidney cancer commences in the form of small rounded structure lesser than seven centimetres in diameter in the kidney at the preliminary stages, then eventually grows in size as it proliferates further than the kidney, to the close by lymph node, the adrenal gland or adipose tissue surrounding the kidney or its spreads to among the large veins close to the kidney. In the final stages, it has spread through the fibrous tissue that encircles the kidney or reached greater than one lymph node or to several organs like the lungs.

Preliminary stage cancer react more than compared to those in the advanced stages.

Prevention:

One can undertake the following steps to improve health and decrease the chances of getting kidney cancer.

• Stopping smoking.
• Consuming fresh produce of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, inculcating it even as snack items or side courses in one’s diet.
• Close to thirty minutes of any physical form of activity started off in a slow pace with gradual increase in intensity.
• Maintain optimal weight and keeping blood pressure at check.
• Taking adequate precaution against occupational exposure to hazardous substances.

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