Kidney Cancer
Discover the best and most effective kidney cancer treatment plan with our professional and specialized staff. At North Houston Cancer Clinics, we are dedicated to guiding and supporting you through your cancer journey. We have advanced techniques available to provide you with high-tech kidney cancer diagnosis. We aim to provide education and awareness to our patients because it is essential to know the signs and symptoms of kidney cancer, which will help in early detection.
What is Kidney Cancer ?
Kidney cancer impacts the kidney and its surrounding tissues. It is also known as renal cancer. It can affect both of the kidneys or sometimes only one kidney. The kidney plays a vital role in filtering the waste products from your body and maintaining the balance in your body. It starts when normal cells of your body start growing abnormally. Sometimes, it may form lumps or tumors inside the kidney when it goes out of control. Kidneys are two organs that are located behind your abdomen. Kidney cancer diagnosis is more prevalent in young adults and children.
At North Houston Cancer Clinics, we try our best for early kidney cancer diagnosis because it is essential for effective and successful kidney cancer treatment. Sometimes, kidney cancer becomes more severe as it spreads to other surrounding tissues.
Kidney Cancer Treatments & Diagnostics
Mainly, kidney cancer is cured by surgery, which is the most helpful method performed in hospitals. There are some other methods also available for the treatment of kidney cancer.
Radiofrequency Ablation: This is a process in which radiofrequency ablation provides heat to the tumor through high-energy waves to kill the tumor cells. This procedure will be performed by specialized doctors who will insert a needle into the tumor.
Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is a process to enhance your body’s immunity by providing some immune active agents. This process is helpful in the last or advanced stages of kidney cancer.
Targeted Therapy: Targeted therapy means to target the tumor cells present in your kidney. They are primarily used in advanced stages of kidney cancer and are usually given orally and sometimes intravenously.
Symptoms & Causes of Kidney Cancer
The Main Causes of kidney cancer are still unknown, but the following are some factors that played a significant role in causing kidney cancer. Includes smoking or use of tobacco, genetics or family history of kidney cancer, high blood pressure, already having kidney disease in the past, and male gender.
Kidney cancer is prevalent, but it does not show common and visible symptoms in the early phases of kidney cancer. But as the tumor of kidney cancer grows, it starts showing signs which may include :
- Lumps can be formed in the abdominal region
- Tiredness and feeling of fatigue
- Back pain or pain in the lower part of your back
- A visible amount of blood passing from the urine, which may be in changed color like brown or a darker shade
- Fever or flu-like illness
- Weight Loss
These are the reasons that help in kidney cancer diagnosis. If you feel any of them, contact your doctor or visit North Houston Cancer Clinics for early detection and treatment of kidney cancer.
How Common is Kidney Cancer
Kidney Cancer diagnosis shows that about 3%-4% of all the cancers in the US show kidney cancer as kidney cancer becomes more prevalent with time. It is most common among people of young age. Adults and women are less likely to develop risks of kidney cancer as compared to men. Kidney cancer seems to be more common in the black population and also in Americans.
Wilson Tumor is a kind of kidney cancer that is way more common in children and diagnosed very commonly.
Kidney Cancer Diagnosis
Following are some kidney cancer diagnosis procedures that are commonly used for detection.
- Imaging Techniques
Imaging scans include ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, and some kinds of bone scans for kidney cancer diagnosis. These scans are good at showing the position of kidney tumors, which will help in kidney cancer treatment.
- Biopsy
A biopsy is a surgical procedure in which doctors will take a small sample for examination under a microscope for Kidney cancer diagnosis. However, biopsy is not a standard process in kidney cancer as the imaging scans already show the presence of tumors.
Types of cancer we treat in North Houston Cancer Clinics
Frequently Asked Question
Early Kidney cancer diagnosis is the only way to cure kidney cancer. If the cancer cells are localized and not spreading into the surrounding tissues, we can stop the division of cancerous cells by kidney cancer treatment. The chance of a cure is directly related to the stage of cancer.
Most kidney cancer treatment involves surgery. Surgery means removing the cancerous cells and targeted tumor from the kidney of the patient in the safest way. Many different types of surgeries are available, including laparoscopic surgery or incisions, etc.
Kidney cancer does not show any visible signs or symptoms to worry about in the early stages of cancer, but with time, patients will feel changes in the body, including pain in the back or changes in the color of urine. Some people observe blood in the urine.
About 85% of people will survive their cancer for five years after diagnosis of 1st stage kidney cancer. The survival rate depends upon several factors, including the stage of cancer and kidney cancer diagnosis.
Some specific types of cancers are slow-growing, which are benign, while others are fast-growing forms of kidney cancer.