Kidney cancer happens when your cells start growing and dividing out of control, forming masses or tumors. They can damage nearby tissue and organs. They can also spread to other parts of the body.
X-rays, CT scans, and an MRI can help find the size of the tumor. A doctor may need to remove a sample of the tissue for a biopsy.
Cancer is a disease that starts when cells in the body start growing out of control. Cancer can spread from one organ to another or to distant parts of the body. Kidney cancer is when malignant (cancerous) cells form in the kidneys. There are 2 kidneys, one on each side of the body, above the hipbones. Tiny tubules in each kidney clean the blood, take out waste products and make urine. Kidneys also regulate blood pressure and help keep bones strong. The first sign of kidney cancer is usually pain in the back or side of the body. You may also notice that you are peeing more often or have a high blood pressure or less red blood cells than normal (anemia).
A tumor on the kidney is called a renal mass. If a tumor is small, it might not cause any symptoms. If the tumor is large or you have other signs and symptoms, your doctor will order a test to check for kidney cancer. Your doctor might want to do an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI to look at the kidney and the surrounding tissue. A needle biopsy might also be done to get a sample of the tumor for testing.
The test results tell your healthcare provider if the tumor is cancerous or noncancerous and what stage it is. The doctor will also use the results to plan your treatment.
Once your cancer is diagnosed, your doctor will run tests to find out if it has spread within the kidney or to other parts of the body. This process is called staging.
Your tumor will be graded based on how abnormal its cells look under a microscope. The higher the grade, the more likely the tumor is to grow and spread over time.
There are several types of kidney cancer. The most common type is clear cell cancer, which forms in the tubes inside your kidney. It is most likely to affect older adults. This type of cancer is usually more serious than other kinds of kidney cancer. Other types of kidney cancer form in other areas in the kidney or in the tissue around the kidney. They include sarcoma, which forms in the soft tissues of your kidney or in the fat around it; and urothelial carcinoma, which is genetically similar to bladder cancer.
Kidney cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow in the kidney and form a tumor. The type of tumor your doctor treats depends on the cell type and stage of the cancer, as well as your age and overall health. Treatment options may include surgery, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy.
The first step in treating kidney cancer is removing the tumor and any surrounding tissue with surgery. This is called nephrectomy. The surgeon will also remove any lymph nodes that are nearby. In some cases, doctors will recommend active surveillance, which means closely monitoring the tumor with interval diagnostic scans and clinic appointments. This is often recommended for older adults with small tumors that haven’t spread.
If the tumor has already spread beyond the kidney, doctors can treat it with medicines. This is usually done after a kidney transplant.
Medications used to treat metastatic kidney cancer are different than those used to treat primary kidney cancer. They are used to help your body’s disease-fighting immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Immunotherapy can be given with or without chemotherapy.
A chemotherapeutic agent can be given to you orally (by mouth) or intravenously, or both. A drug that blocks the formation of new blood vessels can starve a tumor by preventing it from getting the nutrients it needs to grow. These drugs can be given by themselves or in combination with other medications.
Another option is to use a drug that targets proteins produced by kidney cancer cells. It can slow a tumor’s growth and decrease the size of the tumor before surgery.
Some people with kidney cancer have mutations that make them more likely to develop metastasis, or spread of the cancer to other parts of the body. These patients can be treated with medications that target these mutations and block the proteins that are involved in the formation of new blood vessels.
Radiation therapy can be used to kill cancer cells that remain after surgery or that have spread to other areas of the body. This is sometimes combined with other treatments, such as immunotherapy or a drug that reduces protein production (see below). You might be able to participate in a clinical trial that tests an experimental therapy or new combinations of therapies for kidney cancer.
Kidney cancer happens when healthy cells in one or both kidneys change and grow out of control, forming a mass. It can spread to other parts of the body, too. Usually, it does so through the blood and lymphatic system. This process is called metastasis.
Symptoms of kidney cancer vary from person to person. Depending on the type of cancer, symptoms may include a lump in your back or side (benign tumor), blood in urine (malignant tumor), or pain in the back or sides of your body (neoplasm). Some types of kidney cancer cause no symptoms at all. Others are more likely to cause signs and symptoms, especially when they are in a later stage.
The type of kidney cancer determines your treatment options. For example, if the cancer is in an early stage and has not spread, surgery might be enough to treat it. But if it has advanced, treatment may include chemotherapy or radiation therapy in addition to surgery.
Some types of kidney cancer can recur, or come back, even after treatment. You can take steps to lower your risk of developing kidney cancer by avoiding smoking, eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption, and managing diabetes and high blood pressure.
Most kidney cancers begin in tubules that make urine in the renal cortex of the kidney, which is located in the back of your abdomen. This type of cancer is called renal cell carcinoma. Other types of kidney cancer form in the area where a ureter connects to your kidney, or in the part of the renal pelvis. These are called transitional cell carcinoma and sarcoma of the kidney.
The most common cause of kidney cancer in adults is a mutation in the genes of your renal tubules, which is called a hereditary syndrome. Other causes of kidney cancer include exposure to carcinogens, such as asbestos or chromium, and taking certain pain medicines.
If you have kidney cancer, your doctor will prescribe medications that help control nausea and vomiting, reduce fever, manage pain, and prevent infections. Some of these medications can be toxic to the kidneys (nephrotoxic). Talk to your doctor about how to lower your risk for kidney problems while receiving cancer treatment.
The kidneys are in the upper area of each side of the backbone (on either side of the spine). The kidneys make urine (pee) by filtering waste materials and water out of the blood. The kidneys also help control blood pressure and red blood cell production and regulate vitamin D metabolism for bone health. Cancer in the kidneys can interfere with these functions.
Most types of kidney cancer develop in cells that line the inside of the kidneys. These cells may become abnormal and grow out of control, forming a tumor (a mass). These masses can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors do not spread and are unlikely to lead to cancer in other organs. Malignant tumors can grow and spread to other parts of the body and are likely to be fatal.
Certain factors can increase a person’s chance of developing kidney cancer. A person’s risk increases with age. In addition, a person’s chances of getting kidney cancer is higher if other family members have been diagnosed with the disease. This includes a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling. It also includes a second-degree relative, such as a grandparent or aunt or uncle.
A person’s risk of kidney cancer is also increased if they have a genetic disease that increases the likelihood of developing kidney cancer. Some of these diseases include Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma, and Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome.
Other causes of kidney cancer include overuse or long-term use of pain medications such as acetaminophen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), exposure to chemicals such as asbestos, cadmium, and organic solvents, and chronic glomerulonephritis, which is a condition that damages the glomerular basement membrane.
A person’s chance of having kidney cancer is lower if they avoid these risk factors. A person’s doctor can recommend lifestyle changes and other preventive measures to reduce their risk of kidney cancer. Some of these include not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and regularly screening for kidney problems with a urologist. People who have a family history of the disease and those who have already had kidney surgery should especially discuss their risks with their doctor.
Because of their location deep inside the body, most kidney cancers aren’t felt or seen until they have grown large. They are sometimes found by accident when a person has tests for another health problem.
Kidney cancer can spread to other parts of the body, including bone, blood and lungs. When this happens, it may cause new symptoms that are different from the original ones.
The abdomen houses many important organs including the liver, pancreas, small and large intestines, reproductive organs, and major blood vessels. Pain felt in the abdominal area can be generalized as discomfort that spreads throughout the belly, or it can be specific and localized to a certain spot. This can range from mild to severe and may be made worse by changes in posture or coughing. Pain in the abdominal area can be caused by many conditions ranging from infections to hernias, gallstones, and peptic ulcers. However, it can also be a warning sign of kidney cancer.
Kidney cancer often causes no pain in its earliest stages, especially when the tumor is small and located on one side of the kidney. It is only when the tumor grows larger and begins to affect nearby tissue that symptoms appear. In addition, kidney cancer can grow into the ureters or renal pelvis and cause pain in those areas.
If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, pain can occur in the lymph nodes or lungs, in the bones, or even in the vena cava (the largest vein in the body). If you are experiencing this type of pain, it is important to see your doctor.
A person can experience referred pain when the pain is due to irritation of the phrenic, obturator, or genitofemoral nerves that run from the abdomen to other parts of the body. This type of pain is different from visceral pain that originates in the underlying tissues and can make it difficult to pinpoint the source of the pain. Pain can sometimes be a symptom of a rare condition called paraneoplastic syndromes. These are abnormal responses by the body to a cancerous tumor, and they can be more harmful than the cancer itself.
Blood in your urine (pee) is a common symptom of kidney cancer. It is called hematuria. It can be visible to the naked eye, known as gross hematuria, or microscopic and only seen when you submit a sample for testing.
Sometimes a tumor in the renal pelvis or one of the ureters causes this symptom, but other times it’s caused by an infection in the urinary tract, especially a bladder infection called cystitis or a kidney infection called pyelonephritis. It can also be caused by a medical procedure like inserting a catheter or surgery.
The doctor will take a detailed history and do a physical exam. They will look for an abdominal swelling or a lump in the abdomen, and in men, they’ll check for an enlarged and twisted vein (varicocele) in the scrotum.
If the doctor suspects a kidney cancer is causing this symptom, they’ll do a urinalysis and other tests. They may also do a CT scan, which is an imaging test that takes many pictures of your body from different angles and then puts them together into 3D images. This test can show a kidney tumor and can help the doctor decide what treatment is needed.
Often the doctor can make a diagnosis from these tests alone, but they may also do a biopsy. For this, the doctor will take a small piece of tissue from the tumor and put it under a microscope. This can tell the doctor if the tumor is cancerous or not and what type of kidney cancer it is. It can also give the doctor a clue about how aggressive the cancer is. Sometimes the doctor can even tell if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Pain in the side between your ribs and your hip (flank) may be a sign of kidney cancer. This pain can be a dull ache or a sharp, stabbing pain. It may also feel like a pulled muscle. If it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as a fever, chills or painful urination, it is important to see your doctor.
The most common type of kidney cancer is called renal cell carcinoma, or RCC. It starts in the cells that line tiny tubes in the kidneys (nephrons). There are thousands of these tubes in each kidney. This type of cancer usually starts in one kidney, but sometimes it can spread to other parts of the body, including fatty tissue, adrenal glands, the liver or lymph nodes.
Kidney tumors can also be benign, which means they grow and cause symptoms but don’t spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors are usually treated with surgery and do not come back.
A rare type of kidney cancer, sarcoma, often comes back in the kidney area or into other parts of the body after surgery. If it does, chemotherapy or radiation may be needed.
Your GP can arrange the first tests to assess whether your pain is due to a serious health problem. You may then be referred to a specialist such as a urologist for further tests.
If you have severe or persistent flank pain, tell your doctor about any other health problems that you have, such as high blood pressure or having fewer red blood cells than normal (anaemia). This can help your doctor rule out other causes of the pain before diagnosing kidney cancer.
Due to their location deep inside the body, kidney cancers are unlikely to cause any symptoms in their earliest stages. And if they do, they’re often mistaken for less serious conditions. If you have these symptoms, it’s important to see your GP as early as possible. This is because if the cancer is caught in its earliest stage, it’s more likely to be treated successfully.
The most common type of kidney cancer is called renal cell carcinoma (RCC). It starts in the tiny tubes, or tubules, that line your kidneys. The tubules direct substances your body needs, like water and nutrients, to the bloodstream, and they filter waste out of your system through urine (pee). RCC typically begins as a single mass, or tumor, that forms in a kidney. But it can also spread from one kidney to the other, or to nearby tissues and lymph nodes.
Symptoms of kidney cancer can range from blood in the urine to bone pain. They can also include high temperatures and sweating, especially at night. These symptoms can be caused by many different things, so if you’re experiencing them, it’s important to talk to your GP as soon as possible.
Your GP will ask about your symptoms and do tests to check for kidney cancer. The results of these tests will help your doctor decide how to treat you. They’ll also let you know the stage of your cancer, which helps with planning your treatment.
The staging process involves looking at how the cancer has grown and whether it has spread beyond your kidneys. Your healthcare provider will use a number to describe the stage of your kidney cancer: T, N and M. T refers to how large the tumor is. N refers to whether the tumor has reached your kidney’s lymph nodes. M refers to how far the tumor has spread.
A high blood pressure (hypertension) that doesn’t respond to treatment may be a sign of kidney cancer. This is because kidney cancer can cause hormones that raise blood pressure. The cancer can also affect the way your kidneys work and prevent them from regulating blood pressure correctly. If you have a high blood pressure that doesn’t go away after taking medication, see your doctor.
Kidney Cancer can cause fluid build up in the lungs. This can be very painful and make it difficult to breathe. This can be caused by a tumour or by the kidney cancer producing hormones that cause fluid to accumulate in the lining of the lungs (pneumonia). Cancer cells can also spread to the bones and cause pain there. This is called a bone metastasis and can be very painful. It can also be caused by a tumour or by the cancer producing hormones that lead to bone deterioration and breakage.
Most of the time, people with kidney cancer don’t have any symptoms and their tumour is found by chance during a scan for another health problem. This is known as an incidental diagnosis.
Most kidney cancers are a type called renal cell carcinoma (RCC). They start in the cells that line tiny tubes in your kidneys (nephrons). The tumour usually starts in one kidney, but it can sometimes be in both. Over time the tumour can grow and spread to the surrounding fatty tissue, adrenal glands, ureters or the bladder. It can also spread to the lungs, bones and other organs. There are a few things that increase your risk of developing kidney cancer, such as being over 60, being overweight, smoking and having high blood pressure.
Learn as much as you can about your diagnosis and treatment options. This will help you feel more confident making treatment decisions.
Fox Chase experts work together to create a personalized plan that treats the cancer and preserves kidney function. Your team may recommend a surgery called cytoreductive nephrectomy or a combination of targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
Surgery is the most common treatment for kidney cancer and is usually successful in removing all or most of the tumor. If the cancer is confined to the kidney, it may be the only treatment needed. If the cancer has spread beyond the kidney, it is treated with chemotherapy, targeted therapy and/or radiation.
Your doctor will diagnose your condition by reviewing your health history and doing a physical exam. They will also order blood and urine tests to check for signs of kidney cancer. Computed tomography (CT) scans use x-rays to make a picture of the inside of your kidneys and abdomen, including the blood vessels that surround them. Ultrasound uses sound waves to examine the tissues in your body, such as the kidneys and the ureters, which carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
If the tumor is large, your doctor may remove all of the kidney and a nearby area of healthy tissue (a complete or radical nephrectomy). If the cancer is smaller, your surgeon might remove just part of the kidney (a partial nephrectomy). We often perform these procedures using laparoscopic techniques, which reduce scarring and recovery time.
A surgical procedure called a nephropexy may be used to help control bleeding and fluid buildup after surgery. It involves inserting a tube into the main blood vessel that goes to your kidney. Small pieces of a special gelatin sponge are injected into the blood vessel to block the flow and prevent the cancer cells from getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow.
Your team of experts at Fox Chase will work with you to choose the best treatment for your kidney cancer. You will meet with a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, pharmacists, genetic counselors and nurses who will create a customized treatment plan for you.
Radiation uses high-energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells. It may be used if the tumor is too large to remove surgically or it has spread to other parts of the body. We usually use a technique called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for this purpose. We also use radiation to ease symptoms, such as pain.
Kidney cancer can sometimes return after treatment. This is known as recurrent cancer. It can happen in the same area of the kidney (called local recurrence) or it can appear elsewhere in the body, such as in the bones or in other organs. If it happens in the same area of the kidney, doctors can often treat it with a partial or radical nephrectomy (see Surgery). If the tumor has spread to other areas, doctors can usually treat it with systemic treatments, such as medicines that are taken by mouth or IV.
Our specialists can help you weigh the pros and cons of each treatment option for your case, including preserving kidney function and minimizing the risk of recurrence. They are experts in the field of genitourinary oncology, and they will work with you to choose a treatment plan that is right for you.
Our nationally renowned kidney cancer specialists have pioneered many aspects of Kidney Cancer care and research, and they are at the forefront of developing new therapies for the disease. They can also offer you the chance to take part in a clinical trial that is testing promising new treatments for your condition. These are safe and regulated research studies that can offer you the best chances of receiving effective new treatments. You can learn more about clinical trials at NCI’s Web site.
When a person is diagnosed with kidney cancer, doctors can offer several different treatments and technologies. They include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and radiation. Urologists and genitourinary medical oncologists (doctors who manage urinary tract conditions and cancer) typically treat kidney tumors.
Cryotherapy uses incredibly cold temperatures to destroy cancer cells. The treatment can be used to remove a tumor in the kidney or on other parts of the body where cancer has spread (metastasized). Cryotherapy can also be used to shrink and destroy some noncancerous growths such as polyps.
The goal of this treatment is to stop cancer from spreading by blocking blood flow to the tumor, which in turn kills the cells. During the procedure, the doctor uses a probe to cool the lesion with liquid nitrogen. The temperature at which the tissue is frozen depends on the depth, size and type of lesion being treated.
Some cancers have proteins on their surface that keep your immune system from killing them. Drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors can boost your immune system so that it can kill the cancer cells more effectively. These drugs are being studied in clinical trials for renal cell cancer.
Sometimes, cancer may recur after initial treatment. In this case, your doctor may need to treat you with systemic therapies using medications or other drugs. Some of these drugs are used to control symptoms such as pain or bleeding. Other drugs are used to kill cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body. Radiation may be used in combination with other treatments for metastatic kidney cancer. It is often a good option when cancer has spread to the bone.
If you have a small kidney tumor that hasn’t spread, it may be treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or cryoablation. Both treatments use a needle-like probe to put heat or cold directly into the tumor. They can be done through a vein in your arm or by making a small opening in the skin. An ultrasound, MRI or CT scan guides the probe into place. Then the doctor puts an electric current in the probe to create heat or cold. This destroys cancer cells and stops them from growing. It doesn’t damage nearby tissue and is safer than surgery.
The doctors at Fox Chase have pioneered ablation techniques for kidney tumors. They work with you to choose a treatment plan that meets your goals, while preserving kidney function and reducing the chance of recurrence. They are nationally recognized experts in their field.
Before RFA, your doctor will give you a shot to relieve pain. This is called a diagnostic block and lets them see whether the procedure will help. The pain should stop soon after the injection.
You will be numb from the waist down while this is being done. Your doctor will check your blood pressure and pulse during the procedure. Nurses will also monitor you for any complications.
You may need a blood test to make sure your kidneys are working well. You may also need a 24-hour urine test to measure creatinine levels before and after the procedure. Some people who get this type of ablation develop renal failure. That’s more likely if the ablation is done in the area of a previous partial nephrectomy. It’s less likely to happen if you have hereditary syndromes like Von Hippel-Lindau disease that increase your risk for multiple, recurrent clear cell kidney tumors.
Arterial embolization is a treatment to block off the blood supply to a kidney tumour (kidney cancer) so it shrinks. Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the tumour, so cutting off the flow stops the cancer cells from getting the oxygen and other things they need to grow. It’s a minor operation that you have in the x-ray department of a hospital. You’ll usually stay in hospital overnight.
You’ll have a small injection of a medicine that makes you sleepy, or you may be given a general anaesthetic. Then the doctor puts a thin plastic tube (catheter) into a large blood vessel in the top of your leg (groin). The doctor moves the catheter up through the blood vessels until it reaches the artery that supplies the kidney. Then they inject small pieces of a special gelatin sponge into the artery. The sponges go into the artery and block off the blood flow to the tumour. This prevents the tumour from getting oxygen and other things it needs to grow.
The sponges will eventually break down and be removed by the body. This procedure won’t cure your cancer but it can stop the tumour from growing and help control symptoms such as pain and bleeding. It may be used if you can’t have surgery or you’re not well enough for surgery.
The aim of selective arterial embolization (SAE) with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) glue before percutaneous cryoablation in renal cell carcinoma is to reduce the risk of postoperative hemorrhage. This study collected data on patients, tumor and procedure characteristics, complications and follow-up. The results indicate that SAE with NBCA can be an effective treatment option in high-risk patients for renal cell carcinoma.
Many kinds of tumors can grow in your kidney. Some are cancerous (malignant), and some are benign.
Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of malignant kidney tumor. It develops in the lining of tiny tubes called tubules in your kidney.
Some kinds of papillary RCC have highly disorganized features under the microscope, which doctors call sarcomatoid features. These are harder to treat than other kinds of RCC.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer. It develops in the lining of tubules that filter waste from your blood. These cancer cells grow and form a mass called a tumor. RCC most often grows as a single tumor, but it can also appear in both kidneys. RCC can also spread to other parts of your body, such as your lungs and bones.
RCC has several subtypes based on the types of cells involved, including clear cell, papillary and chromophobe. These cancer cells can look pale or clear under a microscope. Other kidney cancers are less common and may include transitional cell carcinoma, which starts where the ureter and kidney meet (the renal pelvis) and looks like bladder cancer; Wilms’ tumor, which usually occurs in children; and angiomyolipomas, which have blood vessels and tissue that resembles kidney tissue.
These tumors can be detected by an imaging test such as ultrasound, CT scan or MRI. Your doctor will take a history of your symptoms and do a physical exam. Your doctor will check your abdomen and kidneys for lumps or other signs of disease. You might have a kidney biopsy, in which your doctor puts a needle into the kidney to remove a small piece of tissue for examination under a microscope. Your doctor might also order a urine test and blood tests to see how your kidneys are working.
If your kidney cancer hasn’t spread, surgery might be an option. Your surgeon will remove the part of your kidney that contains the tumor and sometimes the surrounding healthy tissue. You might also need radiation or other treatments to stop the cancer from growing and spreading.
The bladder is a balloon-shaped organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. The kidneys filter blood, and wastes pass through tiny tubules that enter the bladder to be stored and eventually passed out of the body (urination). Cancers involving the lining of the bladder may develop in cells that line the ureters, renal pelvis and urethra as well as those of the bladder itself. Most of these tumors are urothelial carcinomas, which account for the majority of all bladder cancers. Other less common types include squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.
Most urothelial carcinomas begin in the transitional cells that line the bladder and also can occur in the lining of the urethra, ureters and other parts of the urinary tract. These cancers can grow and spread down the length of the urinary tract (metastasize) to other organs, such as the lungs.
Papillary urothelial carcinoma typically consists of small, mushroom-shaped growths that grow out of the bladder lining. It often develops via the pathway of low-grade intraurothelial neoplasia and can progress to high-grade invasive urothelial carcinoma in the absence of recurrence following bladder removal (TURBT). In addition, some papillary UC patients develop muscle-invasive disease that can metastasize to other organs.
For patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma, systemic chemotherapy is the standard of care. A cisplatin-based combination regimen is associated with significantly improved survival compared to single-agent cisplatin. However, cisplatin is nephrotoxic and is not recommended for patients with significant renal impairment. A regimen of gemcitabine/cisplatin has been demonstrated to achieve comparable survival with a significantly lower risk of toxicity. Alternatively, erdafitinib is a fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer in patients who have not responded to prior platinum-based therapies.
Some kidney tumors don’t fit into one of the established categories. They may look different under a microscope or behave differently from other cancers. Some are high-grade and have a poor prognosis. Others are low-grade and have a better outlook.
Unclassified tumors account for 3 to 5 percent of all cancers in the kidney. These cancers start in cells that line the area where urine collects before it goes into the ureters, tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder. These tumors are called urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma. They usually begin in one kidney but sometimes develop in both. These cancers are treated like bladder cancer.
Papillary tumors grow slowly and are often found during screening for another condition. There are several types of this cancer, but the most common is clear cell papillary RCC (CCRCC). Other kinds of papillary tumors include type 1 and type 2 papillary RCC and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.
Other rare cancers in the kidney include sarcoma, which starts in the soft tissue of the kidney or surrounding fat. Sarcomas are not usually found without symptoms and are harder to treat than other cancers of the kidney.
To confirm a diagnosis of kidney cancer, doctors typically use a procedure called a biopsy. They insert a needle into the tumor and remove samples of cells to examine them under a microscope. This can be done either during surgery to remove the tumor or through a procedure called percutaneous renal biopsy. NYU Langone doctors are studying advanced imaging techniques that may be able to diagnose kidney cancer without the need for a biopsy. These methods can also help doctors know how much of a tumor has already spread when they are treating it with medication.
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located on each side of the spine near the rib cage. They remove waste and extra water from the blood to create urine, which leaves the body through a tube called the urethra. The kidneys also help control blood pressure and balance certain minerals, such as sodium and potassium. The kidneys are part of the urinary tract, which also includes the bladder. Cancer that forms in the kidneys can be malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous). Malignant tumors spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors don’t spread and don’t grow back after they’re removed by surgery.
The most common type of kidney cancer is called renal cell carcinoma or RCC. It forms in the lining of tubules in the kidney and can grow into a large mass. This cancer usually happens randomly, but it can also run in families.
Another rare form of kidney cancer is papillary renal cell carcinoma or PRCC. This cancer grows in a pattern that looks like papillaries and usually affects both kidneys. The doctor may find it by accident during a physical exam or on imaging tests, such as an ultrasound. They will do a biopsy to collect cells from the tumor. An expert, called a pathologist, will study them under a microscope to see if they are cancerous.
A patient’s treatment will depend on the grade of the tumor, whether it has spread to other parts of the body, and how the cancer cells look under a microscope. Some types of cancer are easier to treat than others. For example, clear cell renal cell carcinoma is more likely to respond to chemotherapy than other types of kidney cancer. During chemotherapy, a medical oncologist gives you powerful drugs that travel in your bloodstream to kill cancer cells.
In lymphoma, cancer starts in blood cells that make up your immune system. It’s a group of tumors that includes more than 60 different subtypes. They start in the parts of your immune system called lymph nodes and tissue that surrounds them (including the spleen, stomach, bone marrow and skin). Lymph nodes are small “filters” that trap germs and infection-fighting white blood cells. They’re connected by thin tubes that run throughout your body. Cancers that start in lymph cells grow and spread quickly, affecting multiple organs.
Kidney cancer most often develops in the tubules that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder. The most common type is renal cell carcinoma, also known as clear cell carcinoma. But other kinds can develop as well. These include urothelial carcinoma, which begins in the part of the kidney where urine collects before it moves to the bladder (the renal pelvis), and Wilms tumor, which is most common in children.
Other types of cancer that can develop in the kidney are oncocytoma and angiomyolipoma. These are usually slow-growing and may not spread, although they can enlarge over time. Some may be more serious than others, depending on where they begin in the kidney, how big they are and whether they’ve spread.
The chance for successful treatment increases when a kidney cancer is diagnosed at an early stage. A diagnosis in stages 1 and 2 means that the cancer is 7 centimeters across or smaller and hasn’t spread to nearby tissue and organs, such as your spleen and kidney tissue or the lymph nodes that surround your kidney.