Your kidneys act as your body’s filtration system, creating urine
by removing waste products from blood and expelling them through the urinary
system. Those waste products are passed down into the urethra through
tubes called ureters and then leave the body. When a kidney has cancer,
new cells are produced without the old cells dying off, leading to tumors
that can spread into other parts of the body. West Jefferson Medical Center
offers treatments for kidney cancers.
While a benign tumor stays located in one general region of the body, malignant
tumors will metastasize and spread into further parts of the body. While
it is possible to remove malignant tumors, there is a high likelihood
they will return.
Kidney cancer risk factors
The right oncology team on your side can help you make the right decisions
for which treatments to pursue and what to expect. Prevention, however,
is the ideal way to fight cancer.
Risk factors for kidney cancer can include:
Tobacco use
Obesity
High blood pressure
History of dialysis
Work history
Men are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with kidney cancer compared
to women. It is always advisable to go in for a checkup on a regular basis.
Symptoms of kidney cancer can include:
Constant fatigue or poor health
Lingering pain in the side
Lump in the side
Blood in urine (red tint to urine)
Weight loss
Treatment options available
In cases of kidney cancer, the tumor will need to be removed from the organ.
This can be performed in a few different ways, but will often require
a large incision in any case.
Treatment options for tumor removal can include:
Nephrectomy – Full or partial removal of the kidney
Arterial embolization – Blocking the flow of nutrients to the kidney in order to slow or
stop tumor growth
Radiation therapy – High-energy radiation focused on a tumor to kill its cells
Biological therapy – Using a higher amount of natural bodily-produced substances to
strengthen the body’s immune system
Chemotherapy – Use of cancer-fighting drugs to kill tumor cells
