- Main symptoms
- How to confirm the diagnosis
- How the treatment is done
- 1. Surgery
- 2. Biological therapy
- 3. Embolization
- 4. Radiotherapy
- Who is most at risk
Kidney cancer, also known as kidney cancer, is a relatively common type of cancer that affects mainly men between 55 and 75 years of age, causing symptoms such as the presence of blood in the urine, constant pain in the back or increased blood pressure, for example.
Generally, the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma, which can be easily cured with surgery, if identified early. However, if the cancer has already metastasized, treatment may be more difficult, and it may be necessary to do other treatments, such as radiation therapy, in addition to surgery.
Main symptoms
The signs and symptoms of kidney cancer are uncommon in the early stages of the disease, but as the cancer progresses, some symptoms may appear, the main ones being:
- Blood in the urine; Bloating or mass in the abdominal region; Constant pain in the back; Excessive tiredness; Constant weight loss; Constant low fever.
In addition, as the kidneys are responsible for regulating blood pressure and erythrocyte production, a sudden change in blood pressure values is common, as well as a marked increase or decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood test.
If these symptoms arise it is important to consult a general practitioner or a nephrologist to assess whether there is a problem that may be causing the symptoms and, if it does, identify the cancer at an early stage, facilitating treatment.
How to confirm the diagnosis
To assess what is happening in the kidneys and analyze the cancer hypothesis, the doctor may order several tests such as ultrasound, chest X-ray, CT scan or MRI, for example.
Ultrasound is usually the first test to be ordered, as it helps to identify and evaluate possible masses and cysts in the kidney, which may indicate cancer. The other tests, on the other hand, can be done to confirm the diagnosis or stage the disease.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of kidney cancer depends on the size and development of the tumor, but the main forms of treatment include:
1. Surgery
It is done in almost all cases and helps to remove the affected part of the kidney. Therefore, when cancer is identified at an early stage, surgery may be the only form of treatment needed, since it may be able to remove all cancer cells and cure the cancer.
In the most advanced cases of cancer, surgery can be used together with radiotherapy, for example, to reduce the size of the tumor and facilitate treatment.
2. Biological therapy
In this type of treatment, medicines such as Sunitinib, Pazopanib or Axitinib are used, which strengthen the immune system and facilitate the elimination of cancer cells.
However, this type of treatment is not effective in all cases and, therefore, the doctor may need to make several assessments during treatment to adjust doses and even stop using these drugs.
3. Embolization
This technique is usually used in more advanced cases of cancer when the person's state of health does not allow surgery, and prevents the passage of blood to the affected region of the kidney, causing him to die.
For this, the surgeon inserts a small tube, known as a catheter, in the groin artery and guides it to the kidney. Then, it injects a substance that makes it possible to close blood vessels and prevent the passage of blood.
4. Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is usually used in cases of cancer with metastasis, as it uses radiation to delay the development of cancer and prevent metastases from continuing to grow.
This type of treatment is usually used before surgery to make the tumor smaller and easier to remove, or afterwards, to eliminate cancer cells that failed to be removed with the surgery.
Although only a few minutes of treatment are needed every day, radiation therapy has several side effects such as excessive tiredness, diarrhea or feeling sick all the time.
Who is most at risk
Kidney cancer, in addition to being more common in men after the age of 60, is also more common in people with:
- BMI greater than 30 Kg / m²; High blood pressure; Family history of kidney cancer; Genetic diseases, such as von Hippel-Lindau syndrome; Smokers; Obesity.
In addition, those who need dialysis treatment to filter the blood, due to other kidney problems, are also at increased risk of developing this type of cancer.
