Kidney cancer
What is it?
Kidney cancer is cancer of the kidneys which are two bean-shaped organs that sit in your abdomen on either side of the spine. The kidneys filter blood and remove the waste that is known to us as urine (pee).
Kidney cancer is usually caught early on and has a fairly high survival rate.
Are there different types?
There are two main types of kidney cancer: renal cell carcinoma which is most common in adults, and Wilms' tumor which is most common in children
There are 4 subtypes of renal cell carcionoma (RCC). These are called
- clear cell
- papillary
- chromophobe
- collecting duct
Out of these subtypes, 80% of all RCC cases are clear cell, and therefore most treatment options are around this type of kidney cancer.
Who is most at risk?
Men are twice as likely to get kidney cancer over women and it's usually after the age of 50.
However, the biggest risk factor for kidney cancer is if you are a smoker because smoking chemicals enter the blood and goes through to the kidneys.
Other risks include people who are
- overweight
- have high blood pressure
- have a family history of kidney cancer or other inherited syndromes
How can I find out if I have it?
To diagnose kidney cancer typically a medical professional will perform both blood and urine tests, followed by imaging from an X-ray, CT or MRI scan. In some cases the doctor might also take a sample of cells from the kidney, however this test isn't always necessary.
I have it. Now what?
To treat kidney cancer surgery will usually be the first course of action. Surgery for this can either be to remove just the tumor from the kidney or to remove the whole affected kidney.
If surgery is too risky, other treatments used to either freeze the cancer cells or heat the cancer cells might be considered.
If kidney cancer comes back after treatment or is more advanced, there are other treatments available which can help control the cancer.
These treatments could include
- targeted therapy - this consists of drugs that can locate and kill the cancer cells
- immunotherapy - this is when drugs are used that help your immune system fight the cancer
- radiation
There are also clinical trials out people can look into if the above treatments are not showing successful results, so you should always ask your doctor what's available as well as checking networks of other people going through a similar diagnosis of new drugs or ongoing trials.
What is it?
Kidney cancer is cancer of the kidneys which are two bean-shaped organs that sit in your abdomen on either side of the spine. The kidneys filter blood and remove the waste that is known to us as urine (pee).
Kidney cancer is usually caught early on and has a fairly high survival rate.
Are there different types?
There are two main types of kidney cancer: renal cell carcinoma which is most common in adults, and Wilms' tumor which is most common in children
There are 4 subtypes of renal cell carcionoma (RCC). These are called
- clear cell
- papillary
- chromophobe
- collecting duct
Out of these subtypes, 80% of all RCC cases are clear cell, and therefore most treatment options are around this type of kidney cancer.
Who is most at risk?
Men are twice as likely to get kidney cancer over women and it's usually after the age of 50.
However, the biggest risk factor for kidney cancer is if you are a smoker because smoking chemicals enter the blood and goes through to the kidneys.
Other risks include people who are
- overweight
- have high blood pressure
- have a family history of kidney cancer or other inherited syndromes
How can I find out if I have it?
To diagnose kidney cancer typically a medical professional will perform both blood and urine tests, followed by imaging from an X-ray, CT or MRI scan. In some cases the doctor might also take a sample of cells from the kidney, however this test isn't always necessary.
I have it. Now what?
To treat kidney cancer surgery will usually be the first course of action. Surgery for this can either be to remove just the tumor from the kidney or to remove the whole affected kidney.
If surgery is too risky, other treatments used to either freeze the cancer cells or heat the cancer cells might be considered.
If kidney cancer comes back after treatment or is more advanced, there are other treatments available which can help control the cancer.
These treatments could include
- targeted therapy - this consists of drugs that can locate and kill the cancer cells
- immunotherapy - this is when drugs are used that help your immune system fight the cancer
- radiation
There are also clinical trials out people can look into if the above treatments are not showing successful results, so you should always ask your doctor what's available as well as checking networks of other people going through a similar diagnosis of new drugs or ongoing trials.
Symptom list:
Kidney cancer
Financial support
Not all of us are able to afford the treatment we need. Search your insurance coverage, or check out what charities may be able to offer you for your condition.
p.s. Just because you have insurance, that doesn't mean that charities or other organizations are not able to support you too.
Emotional support
Whether it's a free counseling session or to find someone with a similar diagnosis, these Germie approved charities might be able to help. Click to explore their offerings!
