kidney cancer

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In the UK about 5,000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. There are several types of kidney cancer. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type in adults and is, responsible for approximately 80 per cent of cases.
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Symptoms

Many people with kidney cancer have no symptoms at first, especially when the cancer is small. The affected kidney will become larger and in time, the tumour may grow through the wall of the kidney and invade nearby tissues and organs such as the muscles around the spine, liver and nearby large blood vessels.
As the cancer develops, the following may occur:

• In 60 per cent of cases, the first symptom is to pass blood in the urine which is usually painless, and may 'come and go' as the tumour bleeds.
• Pain in the back or side.
• Swelling in the abdomen.
• High blood pressure.
• Feeling generally unwell or tired.
• Loss of appetite.
• Polycythaemia (too much blood in body) or anaemia (too little).
• Varicocele (tangled network of veins in the scrotum).
• Hip fracture due to spread of the cancer to bone.
• Excessive hair growth in females.
• Feeling thirsty.
• Night sweats.
• Severe weight loss.

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Causes and risk factors

Although kidney cancer is more common in men over the age of 60, many people develop it for no apparent reason. However, certain risk factors increase the chance of it developing, including:

• Smoking.
• Obesity.
• Hypertension.
• Family history of the disease.
• Dialysis patients with cysts in their kidneys.
• Inherited disorders such as von Hippel-Lindau disease.