Wednesday, September 20, 2023
"Genetic Cancer" or "Hereditary Cancer"?
Kidney Cancer Symptoms and Treatment Methods
What are Urological Cancers?
Urological cancers refer to cancers of the organs that include the kidneys, adrenal glands, the channels through which urine produced by the kidneys flows, the bladder, and in men, the prostate gland and testes. The medical field that deals with these cancers is called "Urooncology."What is the Incidence of Kidney Cancers?
Kidney cancer is the third most common urological cancer, following prostate and bladder cancer. It is much more frequently observed than testicular cancer. Almost one in ten thousand people is diagnosed with kidney cancer. Unfortunately, one in thirty thousand people dies each year from kidney cancer.What are the Symptoms of Kidney Cancer?
Kidney cancer is a significant but treatable health issue.
Nowadays, kidney cancers are often detected during imaging tests conducted for other reasons, even before any symptoms appear. Generally, there are no symptoms. Rarely, there may be pain or blood in the urine.
The presence of pain in kidney cancer indicates that the cancer has progressed significantly. Therefore, catching kidney cancer at the earliest possible stage can prevent the patient from dying from cancer and allow for the preservation of the kidney while only removing the cancer.
The presence of blood in the urine can be a marker for kidney cancer. Additionally, the discovery of a mass or firmness in the abdomen can also be among the other symptoms.
We often detect kidney cancer incidentally during ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRIs requested for our patients who come to the doctor for other issues (such as abdominal pain, gallbladder problems, or digestive complaints). When the tumor is at a small stage, kidney cancer can be completely treated. For this reason, undergoing regular check-up programs without waiting for symptoms to appear is crucial for catching the disease at a treatable stage.
What are the Causes of Kidney Cancer?
The exact causes of kidney cancer are not fully understood. However, there are certain risk factors. Kidney cancer is generally more common in middle to older age groups and occurs in men at twice the rate compared to women. Smoking, hypertension, and obesity may be associated with the development of kidney cancer.
A diet high in cholesterol and excessive consumption of red meat may also contribute to the development of kidney cancer. There are also hereditary cancers; for instance, families with genetic mutations may experience a series of cancers that can affect both kidneys. Therefore, it is crucial to consider how early the cancer is detected, rather than whether it is hereditary or due to other reasons. As with all cancers, early diagnosis is essential for the success of treatment in kidney cancer.
How is Kidney Cancer Treated?
The most effective treatment for kidney cancer is surgical. If the disease is detected at a localized stage within the kidney, treatment can be completely successful. In more advanced stages, medication is administered after surgical treatment. In recent years, very effective medications that do not negatively impact the patient’s quality of life have been developed.What is the Most Advanced Technology in Kidney Operations?
Large incisions in kidney surgeries can cause severe pain for the patient and significantly delay the healing process and the return of physical capacity. This can lead to mobility restrictions, requiring the patient to endure pain for possibly months after discharge. There have been significant advancements in recent years. It is now possible to treat every stage of kidney cancer using a minimally invasive approach through robotic surgery, or laparoscopic surgery.
These surgeries can be performed through three or four thin tubes inserted into the body, with instruments extended through them. For masses up to a certain size (approximately 4 cm), only the mass is removed, and the remaining kidney is left functional for the patient. This allows for equivalent cancer control and survival rates as if the entire kidney had been removed. Preserving part of the kidney is one of the important advancements in medicine. In the past, the entire kidney was removed for a very small tumor, but now efforts are made to preserve the kidney as much as possible, only removing the mass.
How Quickly Can a Patient Regain Their Health?
Whether the entire kidney or just part of it is removed, a patient who would take days to get back on their feet after open surgery can be standing by the sixth hour and home by the forty-eighth hour following robotic surgery.How Can We Protect Our Kidneys?
Adequate fluid intake and limiting salt consumption are crucial for kidney health. Unnecessary painkillers can lead to serious problems with kidney function. To protect the kidneys, we must also keep our blood pressure under control, as high blood pressure can damage the kidneys. Diabetes, or high blood sugar, negatively affects kidney health by damaging the vascular structure of the kidneys.
Therefore, controlling blood pressure, adequate water consumption, limiting salt intake, avoiding unnecessary or uncontrolled painkillers, and managing diabetes are important factors for kidney health.
Last Updated Date: 16 April 2020
Publication Date: 16 April 2020
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