Kidney Cancer
What is Kidney Cancer
Why the cells become cancerous is not known. A history of smoking greatly increases the risk for developing renal cell carcinoma. Some people may also have inherited an increased risk to develop renal cell carcinoma, and a family history of kidney cancer increases the risk.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common form of kidney cancer arising from the renal tubule. It is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults.
Increasingly there is a belief that inhalation of a diversity of chemicals may be causal and it is also noted that there is a steady increase in diagnosis in women. That a disproportionate percentage of those diagnosed with kidney cancer are obese is increasingly believed to be a significant factor.
What are the Symptoms of Kidney Cancer
- Haematuria ,blood in the urine.
- Dull pain in the abdomen, back, or side.
- A mass or lump in the lower back that feels smooth and firm but does not necessarily hurt.
- Intermittent fever, vomiting, appetite and weight loss.
What are the Causes of Kidney Cancer
- Kidney cancer is strongly linked with a number of other health problems.
- Congenital defects of the kidney or bladder.
- Frequent urinary tract infections.
- Kidney disease requiring long-term dialysis.
- Von Hippel-Lindau disease.
- Smokers more likely to develop kidney cancer
- Exposure to industrial agents
- Diets high in fat and protein
- Obesity.
If your doctor detects a mass in the abdominal or kidney region or using a stethoscope hears an unusual noise over the renal artery, he will check for kidney cancer.
Traditional Medical Treatments for Kidney Cancer
If it is caught early, a kidney tumour will be removed surgically. The surgeon tries to remove only the cancerous area but may have to take out the entire kidney along with surrounding fat, lymph nodes, and possibly the adrenal gland.
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy can reduce tumour size but are not consistently effective in preventing the spread of kidney cancer.
Unfortunately, neither radiation nor chemotherapy is particularly successful in treating advanced kidney cancer.
New therapies are being tested constantly in the hope of improving cure rates for this and other cancers.
When patients reach remission stage, they must be checked regularly for recurrence or complications.
Complementaty/Alternative Treatments for Kidney Cancer
Stop smoking immediately. Maintain your ideal weight and limit high-fat foods, and red meat. Always toss out foods that become mouldy or rancid, including nuts, seeds, or rice.