KIDNEY CANCER
CRYOTHERAPY
Symptoms
Primary kidney cancer, also called renal cancer, is a malignant tumor that originates in the kidney. As with all forms of cancer, this means that certain cells are growing abnormally and multiplying uncontrollably. Kidney cancer accounts for approximately 3% of all adult cancers worldwide, and occurs most often in people between the ages of 50 and 70, and affects men almost twice as often as women.
Because 60-70% of kidney tumors are found incidentally, it is entirely possible that a patient will have experienced none of the symptoms usually associated with kidney cancer. This may also mean that the cancer has been found relatively early, while the tumor is small and contained in the kidney, making it suitable for treatment by a minimally invasive procedure such as cryoablation.
The most common symptom of kidney cancer is blood in the urine, called hematuria. Sometimes the blood is not visible to the naked eye, but is only seen when a specimen of urine is viewed under a microscope. This is called occult blood, or microscopic hematuria. It may be discovered as part of a routine urinalysis performed during a patient’s regular physical exam. Visible blood in the urine, called gross hematuria, will cause the urine to change in color, appearing anywhere from slightly rusty looking to deep red.
Other symptoms of kidney cancer may include pain in the back or flank that does not go away (kidney pain), a lump or mass in the side or the abdomen, unexplained weight loss, fever, feeling very tired, swelling in the legs or ankles, or having a general feeling of poor health. Most often, of course, these symptoms do not indicate cancer. An infection, a cyst, or some other problem in the urinary tract can cause these same symptoms.
See your doctor as soon as possible if you have noticed these or any unusual physical symptoms. It is important to have any medical problem diagnosed and treated as early as possible. In the case of renal cell carcinoma, early diagnosis and treatment may make it possible to have cryosurgery to remove the kidney tumor instead of requiring removal of the entire kidney.
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