What is Kidney Cancer? Symptoms and Treatment Methods
AI Summary
Kidney cancer forms from abnormal cell growth in the kidneys. The most common type is RCC (90-95%). It may not show symptoms in early stages.
Kidney cancer is a disease that occurs as a result of abnormal growth and proliferation of cells in the kidneys. The kidneys are two organs located in the back of the abdominal cavity that have important functions such as blood purification, hormone production and blood pressure regulation.
Kidney cancer is divided into various types, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC) which constitutes 90-95% of all kidney cancers.
Kidney Cancer Symptoms
- Blood in urine (hematuria) - dark red or pink color
- Abdominal or flank pain - may radiate to back or groin
- A palpable mass or swelling on the side
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue and weakness
- Fever (intermittent)
- Loss of appetite
Treatment Methods
- Surgery: Robotic partial nephrectomy (nephron-sparing surgery), radical nephrectomy
- Immunotherapy: For advanced and metastatic kidney cancer
- Targeted therapies: Drugs targeting specific molecules in cancer cells
Risk Factors
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Family history
- Long-term dialysis
