What is Kidney Cancer Treatment?
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 10 years of experience
What is the meaning of Kidney Cancer Treatment?
Treatment modalities like surgery, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy that are used for the treatment of kidney cancer are known as kidney cancer treatments.
The abnormal growth of cells in the kidney tissue is known as kidney cancer. These cells later form a mass known as a tumor.
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs that are present below the ribcage and near the middle of the back, one on each side of the spine (backbone).
In today’s article, we will be discussing in detail about kidney cancer and kidney cancer treatments.
- What is Kidney Cancer?
- What are the types of Kidney Cancers?
- What are the causes of Kidney Cancer?
- What are the risk factors for Kidney Cancer?
- What are the symptoms of Kidney Cancer?
- What are the complications of Kidney Cancer?
- How to diagnose Kidney Cancer?
- What are the various Kidney Cancer Treatments?
- What are the complications of Kidney Cancer Treatments?
- How to prevent Kidney Cancer?
- What is the cost of Kidney Cancer Treatment in India?
What is Kidney Cancer?
Abnormal growth of the cells in the kidney tissue is known as kidney cancer. These cells later go on to form a mass known as a tumor.
Cancer begins when there is a change (mutation) in the cells and they begin to divide out of control.
A cancerous (malignant) tumor can spread to other vital organs and tissues of the body.
What are the types of Kidney Cancers?
The different types of kidney cancers are:
- Renal cell carcinoma:
- This is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. Almost 85% of all kidney cancers are renal cell carcinoma.
- It usually develops as a single tumor in one kidney, but it can affect both kidneys.
- This type of cancer begins in the cells lining the small tubes that are a part of the nephrons (the functional unit of a kidney that produces urine) in the kidneys.
- Transitional cell carcinoma:
- This type of cancer accounts for about 6 to 7% of all kidney cancers.
- This cancer normally begins where the ureter (a tube carrying urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder) connects the kidney. This area is known as the renal pelvis.
- This type of cancer can also occur in the urinary bladder (the organ that stores urine) or the ureters.
- Renal sarcoma:
- This type of cancer is very rare and accounts for only 1% of the total kidney cancer cases.
- This type of cancer begins in the connective tissue of the kidney.
- This cancer can spread to the nearby bones and organs if it is not treated.
- Wilms’ tumor:
- This is the most common type of kidney cancer seen in children.
- It accounts for approximately 5% of the total kidney cancer cases.
What are the causes of Kidney Cancer?
- The exact cause of kidney cancer is unknown.
- Kidney cancer begins when there are changes (mutations) in the DNA of some kidney cells.
- These changes cause the cells to grow and divide rapidly.
- The accumulation of these abnormal cells leads to the formation of a tumor.
- Some cells can spread (metastasize) to distant parts of the body.
What are the risk factors for Kidney Cancer?
There are some factors that increase the risk of developing kidney cancer. These factors include:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Family history of kidney cancer ( Know more about- What is Acute Kidney Failure? Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Prevention)
- High blood pressure ( Know more about- Diet plan for Hypertension/high blood pressure )
- Radiation exposure
- Genetics
- Dialysis treatment for a prolonged time ( Know more about- What is Dialysis? Causes, Procedure, Aftercare, Cost )
- More commonly seen in men
- Older age
- Exposure to toxins and certain chemicals
- Tuberous sclerosis (a disease causing intellectual disabilities, seizures, and the formation of tumors in different organs)
- Von Hippel-Lindau disease (it is an inherited disorder that leads to the formation of non-cancerous tumors in the blood vessels, especially in the brain and the eyes)
What are the symptoms of Kidney Cancer?
In the early stages, kidney cancer produces no noticeable symptoms. As the tumor grows in size, symptoms begin to appear. These symptoms include:
- Blood in the urine (hematuria) (Know more about- What is Hematuria (Blood in Urine) ? Causes,Symptoms, Treatments, Prevention )
- Abdominal (stomach) pain
- Abdominal swelling
- Persistent pain in the back, just below the ribs
- Fatigue
- Lump in the abdomen ( Know more about- What is Abdominal Lump? Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Prevention )
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Loss of weight
- Bone pain
- High blood pressure
- Anemia (a condition caused due to deficiency in the number of red blood cells)
What are the complications of Kidney Cancer?
The long-term complications of kidney cancer could include:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Increase in the calcium levels of the body
- Dysfunctional liver
- Increase in the red blood cell (RBC) count of the body
- Metastasis (spread of cancer to other parts of the body)
How to diagnose Kidney Cancer?
- Physical examination: The doctor will first physically examine the patient, and note the symptoms of the patient. The doctor will also note down the medical history and family history of the patient.
- Urine tests: This test is done to check for the presence of blood in the urine.
- Blood tests: This test helps in checking the level of different kinds of blood cells in the body and the different electrolytes in the body. A blood test is helpful in diagnosing anemia (less number of red blood cells), or if the function of the kidney is impaired (by checking the creatinine level).
- Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan: It is an imaging test in which radio waves are used to obtain cross-sectional images of the internal organs of the body. This procedure may be done using a special dye. Patients having impaired kidney function may not be able to receive the dye.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): This is an imaging test that uses a strong magnet, radio waves, and a computer to create images of the internal organs of the body.
- Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves are used in this procedure to create images of the internal body organs. This is helpful to detect tumors, as they have a different density as compared to healthy tissues.
- Renal mass biopsy: This procedure involves the insertion of a thin needle into the tumor and removal of a small part of the tissue. This tissue sample is then sent to the laboratory to check for the presence of cancer cells.
What are the various Kidney Cancer Treatments?
The various forms of treatment for kidney cancer include:
- Surgery:
- Surgery is the most common form of treatment for kidney cancer.
- The goal of surgery is the removal of cancer while preserving the normal kidney function as much as possible. (Know more about-What is Kidney Transplant Surgery?Purpose, Procedure, Aftercare, Results, Cost )
The different types of surgical procedures that can be done include:
- Radical nephrectomy: A complete (radical) nephrectomy involves the removal of the entire kidney, a border of the healthy tissue, and sometimes the nearby tissues such as the lymph nodes, or other structures.
- Partial nephrectomy: A partial (kidney-sparing) nephrectomy involves the removal of cancer and a small margin of the healthy tissue that surrounds it, instead of the removal of the entire kidney. This procedure is commonly performed for small kidney cancers and if an individual has only one kidney.
Non-surgical treatments:
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- Small kidney cancers can be treated using non-surgical forms of treatment.
The non-surgical forms of treatment include:
- Cryoablation: A special hollow needle is inserted through the skin and into a kidney tumor by using ultrasound or other imaging tests. Cold gas is then passed through the needle to freeze the cancer cells.
- Radiofrequency ablation: A special probe is inserted through the skin into the kidney. An electrical current is then run through the needle into the cancer cells, leading to the heating up or burning of the cancer cells.
Chemotherapy:
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- Certain drugs are prescribed by the doctor that blocks the blood flow to the tumor, thereby killing the cancer cells.
- These medications are generally taken by mouth or given intravenously (inside a vein). ( Know more about- What is Chemotherapy?Types, Purpose, Procedure, Side effects, Cost )
Radiation therapy:
- This procedure involves the use of high-powered energy beams from sources like x-rays and protons to kill the cancer cells.
- This therapy may be used to relieve the symptoms of kidney cancer that has spread to other areas of the body like the brain and bones.
Targeted therapy:
- This therapy involves using drugs that focus on specific abnormalities that are present within the cancer cells.
- Blocking of these abnormalities causes the cancer cells to die.
Immunotherapy:
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- This treatment involves the use of drugs that help the body’s immune system (disease-fighting system) to kill the cancer cells.
What are the complications of Kidney Cancer Treatments?
The following complications may be seen due to kidney cancer treatments:
- Infection
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Urine leakage into the abdomen
- Kidney failure
- Fatigue
- Skin rash
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Change in taste
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Blister formation on the soles of the feet or palms of the hand
- Weight loss
- Increase in the level of blood sugar
- Increase in cholesterol level
- High blood pressure
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Buildup of fluid in the lungs ( Know more about- What is Lung Transplant Surgery? Types, Purpose, Tests, Procedure, Cost )
- Difficulty in breathing
- Damage to the kidney
- Rapid heartbeat
- Hair loss
If you notice any of the above complications post kidney cancer treatment, contact your doctor.
How to prevent Kidney Cancer?
Although there is no known method to prevent kidney cancer, a few precautions can help in preventing the risk of developing kidney cancer, which includes:
- Quit smoking
- Eat a balanced diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Control your blood pressure
- Avoid unnecessary exposure to chemical toxins
What is the cost of Kidney Cancer Treatment in India?
The total cost of kidney cancer treatment in India can range from around INR 2,00,000 to INR 4,00,000. However, the cost of the procedure may vary across different hospitals. There are many big hospitals and specialized doctors in India for kidney cancer treatment. The cost varies across different hospitals.
If you are coming from abroad, in addition to the expenses of kidney cancer treatment, there will be a cost of staying in a hotel, cost of living, and cost of local travel. Apart from this, after the procedure, the patient is kept in hospital for 5 days and in the hotel for 15 days for recovery. So, the total cost of kidney cancer treatment in India will be around INR 2,50,000 to INR 5,00,000.
We hope that we were able to answer all your questions regarding kidney cancer and kidney cancer treatment through this article.
If you want more information and treatment for kidney cancer, you can contact the Oncologist.
We only aim to give you information through the article and do not recommend medication or treatment in any way. Only a doctor can give you good advice because no one else is better than them.
