Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer begins in the kidneys. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They're located behind your abdominal organs, with one kidney on each side of your spine.

In adults, renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer. Young children are more likely to develop a kind of kidney cancer called Wilms' tumor.

The incidence of kidney cancer seems to be increasing. One reason for this may be the fact that imaging techniques such as computerized tomography (CT) scans are being used more often. These tests may lead to the accidental discovery of more kidney cancers.

Symptoms

Kidney cancer usually doesn't have signs or symptoms in its early stages. In time, signs and symptoms may develop, including:

  • Blood in your urine, which may appear pink, red or cola colored
  • Pain in your back or side that doesn't go away
  • Loss of appetite
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Tiredness
  • Fever

Causes

It's not clear what causes most kidney cancers. Doctors know that kidney cancer begins when some kidney cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. The changes tell the cells to grow and divide rapidly. The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor that can extend beyond the kidney.

Risk factors

Factors that can increase the risk of kidney cancer include:

  • Your risk of kidney cancer increases as you age.
  • Smokers have a greater risk of kidney cancer than nonsmokers do.People who are obese have a higher risk of kidney cancer than people who are considered to have a healthy weight.
  • High blood pressure increases your risk of kidney cancer.
  • People who receive long-term dialysis to treat chronic kidney failure have a greater risk of developing kidney cancer.
  • People who are born with certain inherited syndromes may have an increased risk of kidney cancer, such as those who have von Hippel-Lindau disease, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma or familial renal cancer.
  • The risk of kidney cancer is higher if close family members have had the disease.

Prevention

Taking steps to improve your health may help reduce your risk of kidney cancer. To reduce your risk, try to:

  • Quit smoking.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Control high blood pressure.

Lifestyle measures such as exercise, weight loss and diet changes can help. Some people may need to add medications to lower their blood pressure.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352664