Do you know that Cancer is the 4th most common disease in the entire US With Kidney cancer being the most prevalent? According to the stats in 2020 the USA recorded around 73,750 cases while 430,000 cases were observed by India.
Surprisingly the number of cases is increasing every year, estimating a statement that the US will observe more than 81,800 Cases and 558,000 Cases will be recorded by India till the end of 2023, but do you know why? It’s due to the unawareness of the initial symptoms which can be as common as pain or pressure in the back which we ignore most of the time thinking of it as a normal pain and eventually taking painkillers for relief.
But this ignorance can later turn into regret, so to keep everything on track here’s everything you need to know about Kidney cancer right from its symptoms to recovery.
What’s kidney cancer?
Every person has 2 kidneys located above the waist on both sides of the spine, whose initial and primary task is to filter impurities from the blood along with releasing hormones that control blood pressure, red blood cell production, and other functions.
Kidney cancer begins when a renal cortical tumour is formed which is nothing but a mass outgrowth of cells in one or both kidneys. This tumour can grow depending upon its type if it’s malignant it can grow and spread to other parts of the body while indolent won’t spread to other parts if it’s benign then it can grow but not spread to other parts of the body, Moreover kidney cancer begins with the outgrowth of cell.
Types of kidney cancer
Depending upon the area of outrage there are different types of kidney cancer that can be detected.
Renal cell carcinoma – This is the most common type of cancer which can be found in eighty-five percent of diagnoses. Generally, these cancer cells develop themselves within the proximal renal tubules which is the main filtration unit of the kidney, found in thousands in each kidney
Urothelial carcinoma – As the name suggests these cells are found in the renal pelvis where the urine is collected before moving to the bladder. This cancer accounts for five to ten percent of diagnosed adults, moreover, this type of kidney cancer is also observed as bladder cancer as it is correlated to urine and begins with the same cells and lineup.
Sarcoma – This type of cancer cells are generally found on the thin layers surrounding the kidney known as fat or capsule. Moreover, it can be treated with surgery but if not cared for properly then it may come back and spread to other parts of the body so chemotherapy is recommended after first therapy.
Wilms tumour – Most rare and uncommon kidney cancer which accounts for one percent of kidney cancers around the world. It is found commonly in children and is treated differently from kidney cancers in adults, with radiation combined with surgery to get successful results.
Symptoms
In most cases, Kidney cancer is found co-incidentally when an individual is sent for an imaging test such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) scan for a different reason.
Initially, kidney cancer shows no symptoms so it can be recognized only when it starts growing and affecting other organs There are some signs such as a change in blood pressure or weakness which can be observed initially but other than that there are a few symptoms listed below
- Blood in urine, pain in the back, mass or lump in back, swelling of ankles or legs, high blood pressure, anaemia, fatigue, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and consistent fever if you observe any of these signs then consult your doctor immediately.
Diagnosis
In most cases, biopsy is the only way to diagnose any type of cancer where one takes a small tissue and tests it in the laboratory though there are several other methods used to diagnose Kidney cancer which are listed below.
- Blood and urine tests – Some doctors recommend having blood tests to check the amount of Red blood cells along with urine tests to look for bacteria, blood, or cancer cells. These tests may suggest the presence of cancer but not proper diagnosis
- Computed testing – A complete X-ray of your body using different angles where a computer combines a 3-dimensional image that shows abnormalities of the tumour. Moreover, it can be used after the detection to know the exact place and size of the tumour.
Treatment
The treatment of the cancer usually depends upon several factors such as age, prolonged to any other disease, area affected, and much more. However, the overall plan is prepared by oncologists after properly studying the individual’s case as different treatment plans are prepared for different patients but some basic treatment options which are used commonly are listed below.
- Radical nephrectomy – It’s a type of surgery where the affected area is removed such as lymph nodes that are affected are initially dissected and removed or else cancer cells that are present are removed.
- Partial nephrectomy – This treatment is the surgical removal of the tumor using a smaller cut where kidney functions are preserved and lower the risk of developing chronic disease.
- Laparoscopic and robotic surgery – It’s a small invasive surgery where a small cut is made in the abdomen where a small telescope or robot is inserted which performs the entire removal of surgery.
- Cytoreductive nephrectomy – It is the initial removal of the tumor along with the entire kidney as the disease might have spread to the entire area.
- Cryoablation – During this technique, a metal probe is inserted to freeze the cancer cells. Generally, this method is performed using a CT scan and ultrasound to guide the probe. Moreover, it may take several hours to perform it accurately.
Survivorship
Generally, survivorship is the phase where after surgery one is still living with the cancer cells intact or one whose surgery failed to treat it accurately. Moreover, living with kidney cancer is more like living on dialysis as most of the time kidney cancer does not spread to other areas of the body but it may stay intact in the kidney, disabling the use of the kidney and depending more on dialysis along with regular chemotherapy or radiation.
Prevention and lifestyle
To prevent cancer one should keep one’s life disciplined and perfected with a healthy diet and less consumption of toxic substances such as smoking and alcohol as thirty percent of the time the reason for the cause of cancer is smoking. Along with it, one should also focus on taking necessary nutrition and weights which reduce the chance of high blood pressure as it may also cause cancer due to hypertension.
Along with a proper lifestyle, one should also take care with the consumption of medicine as overuse of medicine can also cause cancer so before consuming any kind of medicine one should consult a doctor.
Moreover, Kidney cancer is a serious and growing issue worldwide which can be prevented if taken care of minimally. Consulting a doctor is a must if you notice any abnormalities in your body as it can save you from any further damage. Through cancer treatments depend on personal factors, before choosing any form of treatment be aware of its side effects and choose accordingly.
Survivorship
Generally, survivorship is the phase where after surgery one is still living with the cancer cells intact or one whose surgery failed to treat it accurately. Moreover, living with kidney cancer is more like living on dialysis as most of the time kidney cancer does not spread to other areas of the body but it may stay intact in the kidney, disabling the use of the kidney and depending more on dialysis along with regular chemotherapy or radiation.
Prevention and lifestyle
To prevent cancer one should keep one’s life disciplined and perfected with a healthy diet and less consumption of toxic substances such as smoking and alcohol as thirty percent of the time the reason for the cause of cancer is smoking. Along with it, one should also focus on taking necessary nutrition and weights which reduce the chance of high blood pressure as it may also cause cancer due to hypertension.
Along with a proper lifestyle, one should also take care with the consumption of medicine as overuse of medicine can also cause cancer so before consuming any kind of medicine one should consult a doctor.
Moreover, Kidney cancer is a serious and growing issue worldwide which can be prevented if taken care of minimally. Consultation for a kidney cancer surgery in ahmedabad is a must if you notice any abnormalities in your body as it can save you from any further damage.
