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Cancer of the kidneys

Written by Dr Chris Dudley, consultant renal physician

What causes cancer of the kidneys?

There are two major types of cancer affecting the kidneys in adults.

Renal cell cancer (also known as hypernephroma)

This is cancer that arises from the main body of the kidney. It's not known what causes the normal kidney cells to undergo malignant change although it can occur in certain rare hereditary conditions.

Transitional cell cancer

This is cancer arising from within the drainage system of the kidney (pelvis and ureter). It is the same cancer type as that commonly found in the bladder. The two main risk factors for this type of cancer are cigarette smoking and kidney damage arising from prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) (called analgesic nephropathy).

Both cancers rarely appear before the age of 50 and they become more common with age. They are two to three times more common in men than women.

What are the symptoms of renal cell cancer?

Blood in the urine.
Discomfort in the flank.
Non-specific symptoms such as fever, weight loss and loss of appetite.

What are the symptoms of transitional cell cancer?

Blood in the urine.
Pain in the flank, which may be chronic or severe and associated with passing blood clots.

How is cancer of the kidneys diagnosed?

If cancer of the kidney is suspected, any or all of the following investigations may help to confirm the diagnosis and plan treatment:

microscopic examination of the urine for abnormal cells
ultrasound scan of the kidneys
intravenous pyelogram (IVP) which is a special X-ray of the kidneys
CT (computerised tomography) scan.

How is cancer of the kidneys treated?

This depends on how advanced the cancer is. Surgery is usually required to remove either the cancerous part of the kidney or the whole kidney; drainage tube; and some of the surrounding tissue.

No other form or treatment, such as radiotherapy or with drugs such as interferon or interleukin-2, has been found to be effective.

Future prospects

Cancer in the kidneys is a serious disorder that is important to detect as early as possible. The long-term outcome depends on how advanced the cancer is at the time of surgery.

Newer surgical techniques are being developed to preserve as much normal kidney tissue as possible.

Last updated 01.04.2005

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