3 Signs of Kidney Cancer To Monitor

Though the signs of kidney cancer are only experienced in later stages, it is important to monitor your health.

Kidney cancer is also called renal cancer and it is one of the most common cancers. You are more likely to develop kidney cancer if you are a smoker, have existing kidney diseases, have a family history of the disease, are overweight, have lymphoma, etc. Consult your doctor if you experience any signs of kidney issues.

3 signs of kidney cancer you need to monitor

Kidneys are bean-shaped organs that help to flush out toxins from the body and regulate blood pressure. It helps to maintain healthy fluid levels in the body and maintain pH balance. When your kidney cells grow excessively and form a tumor, it can cause kidney cancer.

Hematuria

Hematuria means the presence of blood in the urine. The presence of blood in the urine, even once, could be an indication of a medical condition.

Hematuria might be a symptom of you having cystitis, kidney cancer, a blood disorder, or any infections. It is advised to talk to your doctor if you see blood in your urine. Your doctor may ask you to undergo a few tests to know the exact cause. In kidney disorder, the blood in the urine might be because of an injury or cancer.

In most cases of kidney cancer, the symptom manifests only in its advanced stages.

Pain in the back

Back pain is a common condition that occurs in most people. Though, it’s important to note that it’s not always indicative of a serious health condition. The back pain might also be a symptom of a muscle injury. Severe pain in the kidney area is an indication of kidney ailments.

Back pain is usually experienced in the later stages of cancer. If you experience severe and sudden pain that occurs without any reason, talk to your doctor.

Other signs of kidney cancer related to the back include a lump in the back. The lumps are not felt at the early stages as kidneys are located deep in the abdomen.

Fatigue

Fatigue means experiencing severe weakness and lack of energy. This might make it difficult for you to focus and the lack of energy makes it difficult to perform even the daily tasks. Fatigue is a common symptom of not just kidney cancer, but other cancers too.

Fatigue can also be caused because of excess weight loss, another sign of kidney cancer. You may experience a sudden and unexplained weight loss when your kidney tumor rapidly spreads to other parts of your body.

Other signs of kidney cancer include loss of appetite, sudden fever, anemia, and swelling in the ankles.

You are more likely to develop kidney cancer if you have a family history of kidney cancer or any other ailments. Other risk factors include health conditions such as hypertension and obesity. If you are on dialysis treatment or undergoing treatment for arthritis, you may be prone to developing kidney ailments.

Diagnosis of kidney cancer

In most cases, people don’t even experience any signs of kidney cancer. It is often diagnosed in your routine checkups. In such cases, your doctor may recommend you to undergo a few tests including a physical examination.

For mild cases

In physical examination, your doctor may ask you about your lifestyle, if you take any medications, if you have any health condition, and if you have any family history of kidney cancer or kidney ailments. The tests your doctor may ask you to undergo include urine tests, blood tests, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test, CT scan, or Renal arteriogram. Urine tests help to check for blood in the urine while blood tests will help to check if your kidneys are functioning properly.

For severe cases

In severe cases, your doctor may ask you to undergo a biopsy. A biopsy is a test that helps to check for cancer cells. For the test, your doctor may remove a small tissue from your body and have the tissue examined. Once a cancer is diagnosed, your doctor may prescribe you medications and treatments. The earlier the diagnosis, the better is the treatment. Later, your doctor may even ask you to do a few other tests to check if the cancer is limited to the kidney or has spread to other parts of the body.

Learn more about cancer signs and diagnostic tests, here.