More than 60,000 individuals in the U.S. are diagnosed with some form of kidney cancer each year. As with most forms of cancer, the earlier kidney cancer can be detected, the better the treatment outcome will be. Speak with an expert at Bayhealth about treatment options.
Types of Kidney Cancer
By far the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell cancer (RCC), also known as renal cell adenocarcinoma. Affecting 90% of individuals diagnosed with kidney cancer, RCC has many subtypes, including clear cell, papillary and chromophobe renal cell carcinomas.
Treatment approaches and outcomes depend on the stage and subtype of your cancer.
Other rare forms of kidney cancer include the following.
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma: Usually beginning in a part of the kidney called the renal pelvis, transitional cell carcinoma (also known as urothelial carcinoma) accounts for roughly 7% of kidney cancers. This cancer is often linked to cigarette use.
- Renal Sarcoma: The rarest form of kidney cancer, renal sarcoma can spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body if not properly treated.
- Wilms Tumor: Although Wilms tumor only accounts for around 5% of all kidney cancers, it is the most common form of the disease to affect children.
Signs and Symptoms
While many symptoms of kidney cancer can be caused by other conditions, common signs of the disease include the following. See a doctor if symptoms persist for weeks or months.
- Blood in your urine (hematuria), which may appear pink, red or cola colored
- Unexplained lower back pain affecting one side of your body
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Low red blood cell count (anemia)
- Unexplained fever that doesn’t go away
Risk Factors & Prevention
While exact causes of kidney cancer remain unknown, the following factors can increase the risk that you will develop the disease at some point in your life.
- Advanced Age: Kidney cancer most often occurs in adults 65 and older.
- Gender: Men are twice as likely to develop kidney cancer compared to women.
- Smoking: People who smoke or have a history of tobacco use may be at higher risk for kidney cancer, although the risk decreases after you quit
- Obesity: The risk of kidney cancer can be higher among people whose body weight far exceeds the average (obesity).
- Hypertension: High blood pressure (hypertension) heightens the risk for kidney cancer.
- Kidney Failure Treatment: Receiving long-term dialysis treatments for kidney failure increases the risk for developing kidney cancer later in life.
Family and Personal History
A family history of kidney cancer can increase the risk that you will develop the disease at some point in your life. Other inherited syndromes that heighten the risk of developing kidney cancer include Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, Hippel-Lindau disease and tuberous sclerosis complex.
In clinical partnership with Penn Medicine’s Telegenetics Program, Bayhealth provides genetic counseling services to our patients. Using video-conferencing software that can be accessed at our Kent and Sussex campuses, genetic counselors at the Abramson Cancer Center will discuss your personal and family history with you and make genetic testing recommendations.
These tests provide insight into your cancer risks and help our multidisciplinary medical team to determine the best treatment plan for your condition. To learn more about our telegenetics program or to participate, call us at 302-674-4401.
How We Diagnose Kidney Cancer
We use the following procedures to diagnose kidney cancer.
- Blood Test: A blood test may reveal signs of cancer in the kidneys.
- Urinalysis: A sample of urine is analyzed in a laboratory for signs of infection.
- Angiogram: A contrast dye is injected into your bloodstream, which makes your arteries and veins visible during X-ray image scans.
- Ultrasound: High-energy sound waves are bounced off your internal tissues and organs, creating a detailed image (sonogram) of your abdomen.
- Computerized Tomography (CT): Certified experts use computer-processed X-rays to generate a scan of your body in “slices” to create highly accurate images.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): A combination of a magnetic field and radio waves creates three-dimensional images of specific areas of your body to determine if disease or physical abnormalities are present.
- Biopsy: Surgeons remove part of the kidney so that it can be examined under a microscope to determine if cancer cells are present.
Treatment Options
Our multidisciplinary team works collaboratively to outline a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Experts from a range of specialties will discuss your condition and determine the best plan of action. Factors we consider when developing your treatment plan include the stage and location of the cancer and your personal medical history.
Treatments for kidney cancer include the following.
Medical Therapy
Our board-certified oncologists prescribe your medical therapy, and our highly trained nursing staff administers that therapy intravenously, orally or through injection.
Among the medical treatments we provide are the following.
- Targeted Drug Therapy: This type of cancer treatment uses drugs to “target” cancer cells without affecting normal cells.
- Chemotherapy: This drug treatment uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cancer cells in your body.
- Immunotherapy: This treatment option boosts your immune system, empowering it to fight and destroy cancer cells.
Radiation Therapy
Our team of board-certified radiation oncologists may use external beam radiation in combination with other treatments to address your cancer. Employing sophisticated technology, our therapists concentrate high-energy beams of radiation on the precise parts of your body affected by disease. This safe and accurate procedure may be administered routinely over a period of days or weeks.
Surgical Approach
Our specialized surgery team uses the latest in minimally invasive techniques to remove the kidney (nephrectomy) or parts of the kidney affected by disease (partial nephrectomy). Adhering to evidence-based guidelines, our robot-assisted surgical procedures provide safe treatment for all stages of cancer. Learn more about cancer treatment options at Bayhealth.
Support Services
Before, during and after your cancer treatments, our experts remain dedicated to improving your quality of life. Our care team supports you in establishing healthy routines that help you stay in control of your daily symptoms. We also host support groups that provide patients and families opportunities to connect and share their experiences — because a strong network of support can help to make the realities of cancer more manageable.
- Cancer Support Community: A statewide non-profit organization, the Cancer Support Community, is dedicated to helping people manage the emotional aspects of their cancer journey. Learn more about the Cancer Support Community.
Explore our classes, events and support groups.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that test cutting-edge drugs, procedures and technologies with the purpose of establishing new or better ways of treating cancer. The skilled nurses in our Clinical Research Program can help you find clinical trial options for your specific cancer.
Speak with a Bayhealth expert about cancer treatment options.