As with most cancers, the exact cause of kidney cancer is unknown. Except for some unavoidable conditions such as genetic factors; Many things can be done to reduce the risk of developing kidney cancer.
Of these;
1-Smoking is responsible for the majority of kidney cancers, so quitting smoking can reduce the risk of kidney cancer.
2-The fight against obesity can reduce the risk of kidney cancer. For this reason, maintaining a healthy weight by doing sports and exercising and choosing a diet high in fruits and vegetables can also reduce your chance of getting this disease.
3-High blood pressure is also a risk factor for renal cell cancer. Again, keeping blood pressure under control, eating healthy and maintaining an ideal weight are among the preventive measures against kidney cancer.
4-Preventing exposure to harmful volatile gases and solvents (such as trichloroethylene) in the workplace can reduce the risk of kidney cancer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kidney Cancer
1-What is kidney cancer?
Kidney cancer is a malignant cell growth within the kidney. Its medical name is renal cell cancer. The tumor in the kidney can also be benign. There are different types of tumors and different stages of the disease in the kidney. If the tumor is confined to the kidney and has not spread, it is called localized kidney cancer. In locally advanced kidney cancer, the tumor has grown into the tissue surrounding the kidney, extending into the veins, adrenal gland, and lymph nodes. If it has spread to distant lymph nodes or other organs, metastatic disease is mentioned. Men have a higher risk of kidney cancer than women. Kidney cancer is most common between the ages of 60 and 70.
2-What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?
Most kidney cancer patients are symptom-free, that is, there are no specific symptoms that indicate the disease. Most kidney cancers are found during routine ultrasound or similar imaging procedures for back pain-like symptoms. As the tumor grows, you may feel constant pain on the affected side. You may feel a mass on the side of your body between your hip and ribs, or you may see blood in your urine.
Other symptoms you may experience:
● High Blood Pressure
● Fever and night sweats
● Anorexia
● Weight loss
● anemia
3-What tests are used to diagnose kidney cancer?
Diagnosis begins with a personal history, including a CV and family history. There are different types of kidney cancer and some tests are done to detect it. Ultrasonography, Tomography and MRI scan will show the size of the tumor, involvement of local veins and lymph nodes, and whether it has spread to surrounding organs. This is also important in determining future treatment. A physical examination, blood and urine tests may also be done.
4-How is a kidney tumor classified?
Kidney tumors are classified according to their stage, subtype, and degree of aggression of tumor cells. The treatment you receive will be determined by these three factors.
Tumor stage indicates how far the tumor has progressed and whether it has metastasized to distant lymph nodes or other organs. Renal tumor staging is based on the Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) classification. It looks at the size and spread (T) of the tumor and determines how far it has progressed in 4 stages. It is checked whether the lymph node is involved (N) or whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (M).
There are different subtypes of kidney tumors. Renal cell cancers constitute the majority of kidney cancers (approximately 80-85%). The most common subtype of these is clear cell renal cell carcinoma (80%), with 10% papillary renal cell carcinoma, 5% chromophobic renal carcinoma.
cell carcinoma. The remaining 5% constitute collecting duct renal cell carcinoma and uncommon and familial variants.
- Evaluate how aggressive the tumor cells are. The Pathologist grades the tumor from 1 to 4, from best to worst.