Kidney Cancer

 The kidneys are a pair of organs on either side of the spinal chord in the lower abdomen. Each kidney is about the size of a fist. Attached to the top of each kidney is an adrenal gland. A mass of fatty tissue and an outer layer of fibrous tissue enclose the kidneys and adrenal glands.

The kidneys are part of the urinary tract. They make urine by removing wastes and extra water from the blood. Urine collects in a hollow space (renal pelvis) in the middle of each kidney. It passes from the renal pelvis into the bladder through a tube called a ureter. Urine leaves the body through another tube (the urethra).

The kidneys also make substances that help control blood pressure and the production of red blood cells.

 The kidney cancer is the cancer that forms in tissues of the kidneys. Kidney cancer includes renal cell carcinoma (cancer that forms in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products) and renal pelvis carcinoma (cancer that forms in the center of the kidney where urine collects). It also includes Wilms' tumor, which is a type of kidney cancer that usually develops in children under the age of 5.

 Several types of cancer can start in the kidney. The renal cell cancer is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. Another type of cancer, transitional cell carcinoma, affects the renal pelvis. It is similar to bladder cancer and is often treated like bladder cancer. Wilms' tumor is the most common type of childhood kidney cancer. It is different from adult kidney cancer and requires different treatment.

Risk Factors

Smoking: Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor. Cigarette smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to develop kidney cancer. Cigar smoking also may increase the risk of this disease.

Obesity: People who are obese have an increased risk of kidney cancer.

High blood pressure: High blood pressure increases the risk of kidney cancer.

Long-term dialysis: Dialysis is a treatment for people whose kidneys do not work well. It removes wastes from the blood. Being on dialysis for many years is a risk factor for kidney cancer.

Occupation: Some people have a higher risk of getting kidney cancer because they come in contact with certain chemicals or substances in their workplace. Workers exposed to asbestos or cadmium may be at risk.

Gender: Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with kidney cancer.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of kidney cancer include:

- Blood in the urine (making the urine slightly rusty to deep red)

- Pain that does not go away

- A lump or mass in the abdomen

- Weight loss

- Fever

- Feeling very tired or having a general feeling of poor health