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Kidney cancer is also called renal cancer. Kidney cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the kidneys. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found on either side of the spine or backbone. Their job is to filter out toxic products from the blood and to clean the blood. The waste is filtered into the urine to be removed from the body.
SYMPTOMS OF KIDNEY CANCER INCLUDE: - blood in the urine
- an abdominal mass in the flanks or abdomen
- pain in the lower side of the back, known as flank pain
- night sweats, weight loss, and anaemia.
RISK FACTORS include being a male, smoking, and exposure to industrial agents such as: - chemically tanned leather
- asbestos
- cadmium
- lead acetate used in newspaper printing and
- petroleum products
Screening for renal cancer is done with a routine physical exam and a urine test. High-risk individuals should be screened yearly. If cancer is suspected, additional tests, including x-rays, CT scans, blood tests, and others, will be needed to evaluate the kidneys. TREATMENT WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER THE TUMOUR HAS SPREAD OUTSIDE THE KIDNEY: - Surgery removes the affected kidney.
- Chemotherapy uses medications to kill the cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy uses x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours.
- Hormonal therapy uses hormones to treat the cancer.
- Biological therapy uses methods to get your body to fight the cancer.
Article #6476 Copyright (c) 2002 McKesson. All Rights Reserved. |
