Usual Evidences And Root Causes Associated With Kidney Cancer

Posted on | September 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Because early diagnosis is so critical to improving survival rates, those at risk for the disease need to be able to recognize kidney cancer symptoms. If you’re curious about whether you’re at risk for this cancer and any potential signs or symptoms you should watch out for, keep reading.

Symptoms of Kidney Cancer

Blood in the Urine (hematuria): Blood in the urine is the most common of all the kidney cancer symptoms.

Back Pain: Many people diagnosed with kidney cancer experience low back pain that isn’t associated with an injury or other physical ailment.

Lump: A lump or mass in the abdomen is often felt or found by patients with kidney cancer.

General Fatigue: Though fatigue is not a specific symptom, meaning it’s often found in other diseases and cancer, it’s a common symptom of kidney cancer that can help doctors make a diagnosis.

Loss of Appetite: Unintentional weight loss that happens quickly can be a symptom of kidney cancer. Many patients lose their appetites, have trouble eating and digesting, and tend to lose weight quickly.

Fever: Frequent fevers that aren’t connected to some other infection, flu or cold are often associated with kidney cancer.

Swelling: Edema, also known as swelling in the lower legs is a typical kidney cancer symptom most apparent in women.

Higher Blood Pressure: Like many of the other symptoms listed above, high blood pressure can be attributed to numerous other diseases. However, if discovered alongside other symptoms, it can often be a good indicator for the disease.

Risk Factors and Causes of Kidney Cancer

Smoking: Smoking is the cause of 30% of renal cell carcinoma (common kidney cancer) cases in male smokers and 25% of cases in women.

Analgesic Abuse: Overusing and abusing pain killers that contain phenactin (no longer prescribed in the U.S.) can increase the risk for kidney cancer.

Exposure at the Work Place: Workers who are exposed to products like organic solvents, petroleum by-products, camium and asbestos all have an increased risk for developing kidney cancer.

Genetic Disorders: Genetic disorders that affect the kidney (e.g.: tuberous sclerosis) will increase the risk for kidney cancer. In addition, a strong family history (at least two close family members diagnosed with the disease) will also increase a patient’s risk.

Obesity: People who are obese or very overweight are more at risk for developing renal cell kidney cancer than those who maintain a healthy body weight.

Kidney Failure: People with a history of kidney failures may develop cysts in their kidneys as a result. These cysts can expedite the development of kidney cancer.

Advancing Age: Typically, renal cell carcinoma only develops in adults over the age of fifty and under seventy.

Gender: RCC (renal cell carcinoma) kidney cancer is twice as common in men than women.

If you have or have been exposed to any of the above risk factors for kidney cancer, it’s critical that you be aware of kidney cancer symptoms. Should you experience any of the listed symptoms for this cancer or any, be sure to talk to your doctor about treatments.