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Alternative names Return to top
Renal cancer; Kidney cancer; Hypernephroma; Adenocarcinoma of renal cells; Cancer - kidneyDefinition Return to top
Renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer that involves cancerous changes in the cells of the renal tubule, is the most common type of kidney cancer in adultsCauses, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Renal cell carcinoma affects about 3 in 10,000 people, resulting in about 31,000 new cases in the US per year. Every year, about 12,000 people in the US die from renal cell carcinoma. It is more common in men than women, usually affecting men older than 55.
What causes the cells to become cancerous is not known. A history of smoking greatly increases the risk for developing renal cell carcinoma. Some people may also have inherited an increased risk to develop renal cell carcinoma, and a family history of kidney cancer increases the risk.
People with von Hippel-Lindau disease, a hereditary disease that affects the capillaries of the brain, commonly also develop renal cell carcinoma. Kidney disorders that require dialysis for treatment also increase the risk for developing renal cell carcinoma.
The first symptom is usually blood in the urine. Sometimes both kidneys are involved. The cancer metastasizes (spreads) easily, most often to the lungs and other organs, and about one-third of patients have metastasis at the time of diagnosis.
Symptoms Return to top
Signs and tests Return to top
Palpation of the abdomen may show a mass or organ enlargement, particularly of the kidney or liver. There may be a testicular varicocele in men.Treatment Return to top
Surgical removal of all or part of the kidney (nephrectomy) is recommended. This may include removal of the bladder or surrounding tissues or lymph nodes.Support Groups Return to top
The stress of illness may be eased by joining a support group whose members share common experiences and problems. See cancer - support group and kidney disease - support group.Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
The outcome varies depending on the degree of metastasis. The 5-year survival rate is around 60 - 75% if the tumor is in the early stages and has not spread outside the kidney. If it has metastasized to the lymph nodes, the 5-year survival is around 5 - 15%. If it has spread to other organs, the 5-year survival at less than 5%.Complications Return to top
Calling your health care provider Return to top
Call your health care provider any time blood in the urine develops. Also call if any other symptoms of this disorder occur.Prevention Return to top
Stop smoking. Follow your health care provider's recommendations in the treatment of kidney disorders, especially those that may require dialysis. Update Date: 8/3/2004 Updated by: Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Hematology/Oncology, The University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |