World Kidney Cancer Day: Everything You Need to Know About The Disease

Dr (Col) by Ranga Rao Rangaraju

Every year, June 17th is observed as the world’s kidney cancer A day to raise awareness about illness. From a functional point of view, the kidneys extract waste products and water from the blood. These are excreted into the bladder through the ureter. The kidney is also an important endocrine organ for water and salt metabolism, maintaining blood pH levels and playing an important role in vitamin D metabolism.

Kidney cancer is the 13th most common cancer in the world. In adults, the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The RCC kills nearly 180,000 people worldwide each year. However, other less common types of kidney cancer can also occur. Infants are more likely to develop a type of kidney cancer called Wilms tumor.

The pair of organs look like beans and are located in the abdomen. (Source: Getty)

When does kidney cancer occur?

Kidney cancer can occur when healthy cells in one or both kidneys become dysfunctional and begin to form lumps (tumors). Fortunately, most incidences of kidney cancer can be detected before they begin to metastasize to other organs.

Studies show that the incidence of kidney cancer is increasing. This may be due to the growing popularity of imaging technologies such as: Computed Tomography (CT) Scan.. These tests can lead to accidental detection of kidney cancer. Cancers that are detected early are usually still small and are confined to the kidneys. It’s easy to handle.

Symptomatology to remember

Kidney cancer is usually asymptomatic in the early stages. It is usually painless and is often overlooked. It is also difficult to see or detect a tumor by physical examination because the kidneys are also deeper in the body.

However, over time, signs and symptoms may begin to appear. Some of these contain blood in your urine. It may appear pink, red, or even black. It is important to note that the passage of blood is painless. Continuous pain in the back or sides that does not subside; weight loss of unknown cause; loss of appetite, persistent fever and malaise.

If you have any of these symptoms or symptoms that are causing concern, you should consider seeing a doctor.

Continuous pain in the back and sides is one of the major symptoms of kidney cancer (Source: Getty / undergoing)

What Causes Kidney Cancer?

There is no definitive answer.Doctors and medical professionals know it Kidney cancer It begins when kidney cells mutate DNA. Changes cause cells to grow and divide rapidly. The accumulation of these abnormal cells forms a tumor. These can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors are usually non-life-threatening and can be cured. On the other hand, malignant tumors can spread beyond the kidneys. Cells can break down and spread to other parts of the body, which can be life-threatening.

However, there are certain factors that can increase your risk. These include:

* Smokers are at higher risk of kidney cancer than nonsmokers. After quitting smoking, the risk goes down. Obese people also have an increased risk of developing kidney cancer compared to people of healthy weight.
* Medical history: High blood pressure (high blood pressure) also increases the risk of developing kidney cancer. Recipients of long-term dialysis to treat chronic renal failure are also at greater risk. Certain hereditary syndromes, such as Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, von Hippel-Lindau disease, and tuberous sclerosis, can also increase the risk of kidney cancer.

If your relatives also have kidney cancer, you are at increased risk of kidney cancer. Finally, the risk of developing kidney cancer also increases with age.

Treatment options

Surgery is usually enough to get rid of the cancer. For cancers that are localized to the kidney, this may be the only treatment needed. However, if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, additional treatment may be needed.

There are multiple approaches to treatment. These depend on factors such as general health, the type of kidney cancer, whether the cancer has spread, and treatment preferences.

Surgery – For most kidney cancers, surgery is the first treatment. The purpose of surgery is, if possible, to remove the tumor while maintaining normal kidney function. Depending on the type of cancer and its stage, doctors recommend whether partial resection works or whether the entire affected kidney needs to be removed.

If the cancer spreads beyond the kidneys, such as in the lungs or bones, treatment may be targeted therapy or Immunotherapy..

Targeted Therapy – Targeted drug treatment focuses on specific abnormalities present within the tumor. By specifically blocking these abnormalities, treatment can kill cancer cells. Doctors should first test the cancer cells to see which target drug is most effective.

Immunotherapy – Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. The body’s immune system may not attack the cancer because cancer cells produce proteins that help hide themselves from detection. Immunotherapy works by interfering with this process. Immunotherapy has become accepted because it works for many types of cancer. Train your immune system to remember cancer cells. This immunological memory can lead to longer-lasting remission even after treatment is complete.

Radiation therapy – This type of therapy uses a powerful beam of energy from sources such as protons and x-rays to kill cancer cells. It may also be used to reduce or control pain in the affected bones and brain.

Kidney cancer detected in the early stages is curable, and new advances in the treatment of advanced cancers have resulted in better control and longer duration of cancer. If you want to talk to a kidney cancer specialist, you can talk to an oncologist or urologist.

Author is Chair – Pallas Cancer Center, Pallas Hospital, Gurgaon

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