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Last Updated: Sep 14, 2019
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Modern treatment for Kidney Cancer
What is kidney cancer?
Kidney cancer (renal cancer or renal cell carcinoma) is one of the ten most common cancers in both men and women.
It occurs when the cells in kidney grow uncontrollably and start invading surrounding tissues (i. E, undergoes malignant change). The risk factors are age > 40 years, smoking, obesity, long term dialysis, certain genetic conditions, family history, high blood pressure and male gender. However, it can occur to anybody.
What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?
1. Blood in urine
2. Pain or lump in side of upper abdomen
3. Weight loss or loss of appetite
4. Long term fever
However, many of kidney cancers are detected on routine ultrasonograms done for other purposes. Thus, regular ultrasonogram testing can pick up these tumors very early.
What are the diagnostic tests?
Contrast enhanced computed tomography (ct scan) of abdomen is the current gold-standard test to diagnose kidney tumors and evaluate for local spread. Chest x-ray or ct chest helps in diagnosing spread to lungs. Some blood tests will help to evaluate function of kidney and general health condition.
What are the best treatment modalities?
Surgical removal is the best treatment for kidney cancer. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy does not act on kidney cancer and hence are not used.
If the size is small, only the tumor is removed and rest of kidney can be preserved (nephron sparing surgery or partial nephrectomy).
For large tumors, the whole kidney, surrounding tissues and lymph nodes are removed totally (radical nephrectomy).
Both these surgeries can be done through keyholes (laparoscopy), thus reducing the pain and leading to faster recovery.
If the tumor has spread all over the body, then targeted therapy is given using specific drugs (usually in the form of tablets) like pazopanib, sunitinib, sorafenib etc.
How to follow-up after treatment?
Regular check up using ultrasonogram, ct scan, chest x-ray, renal function tests, liver function tests are needed to maintain good health.
Take home message:
Regular ultrasonograms after the age of 40 years (at least annually) can help in diagnosing these tumors and curing them 100%.
Kidney cancer (renal cancer or renal cell carcinoma) is one of the ten most common cancers in both men and women.
It occurs when the cells in kidney grow uncontrollably and start invading surrounding tissues (i. E, undergoes malignant change). The risk factors are age > 40 years, smoking, obesity, long term dialysis, certain genetic conditions, family history, high blood pressure and male gender. However, it can occur to anybody.
What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?
1. Blood in urine
2. Pain or lump in side of upper abdomen
3. Weight loss or loss of appetite
4. Long term fever
However, many of kidney cancers are detected on routine ultrasonograms done for other purposes. Thus, regular ultrasonogram testing can pick up these tumors very early.
What are the diagnostic tests?
Contrast enhanced computed tomography (ct scan) of abdomen is the current gold-standard test to diagnose kidney tumors and evaluate for local spread. Chest x-ray or ct chest helps in diagnosing spread to lungs. Some blood tests will help to evaluate function of kidney and general health condition.
What are the best treatment modalities?
Surgical removal is the best treatment for kidney cancer. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy does not act on kidney cancer and hence are not used.
If the size is small, only the tumor is removed and rest of kidney can be preserved (nephron sparing surgery or partial nephrectomy).
For large tumors, the whole kidney, surrounding tissues and lymph nodes are removed totally (radical nephrectomy).
Both these surgeries can be done through keyholes (laparoscopy), thus reducing the pain and leading to faster recovery.
If the tumor has spread all over the body, then targeted therapy is given using specific drugs (usually in the form of tablets) like pazopanib, sunitinib, sorafenib etc.
How to follow-up after treatment?
Regular check up using ultrasonogram, ct scan, chest x-ray, renal function tests, liver function tests are needed to maintain good health.
Take home message:
Regular ultrasonograms after the age of 40 years (at least annually) can help in diagnosing these tumors and curing them 100%.
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