Kidney/Renal Cancer
Kidney cancer, also referred to as renal cancer, affects over 12,500 people in the UK every year. Generally speaking, cancer will only affect one of two kidneys. Renal, or kidney cancer, is cancer that starts in the kidneys, small bean-shaped organs located near the middle of your back. The kidneys are important as thy filter waste products out of your blood as urine
Contact UsWhat is Kidney/Renal Cancer
What is Kidney Cancer?
The kidneys are integral components of the urinary system, filtering blood to remove excess water and waste, which are then excreted as urine. Each year, over 12,500 individuals in the UK are diagnosed with kidney cancer. Typically, this cancer affects only one kidney, with cancer in both kidneys being very rare.
We work together to combine the highest levels of consultant-led care and patient choice with the most advanced knowledge and understanding of the disease and its forms.
Learn More About Kidney/Renal Cancer
There are several types of kidney cancer. Approximately 80% of cases are renal cell cancers (RCC), originating in the kidney cortex. Kidney cancer can also start in the ureter and renal pelvis, though this is less common.
Renal Cell Cancers (RCC)
Within RCC, the most prevalent type is clear cell renal cancer. Other less common types include:
- Papillary renal cell cancer
- Chromophobe renal cell cancer
- Kidney cancer can also develop in the renal pelvis, usually as urothelial cancer or transitional cell carcinoma. Additionally, a rare type called collecting duct cancer (CDC) exhibits features of both RCC and urothelial cancer.
The exact causes of kidney cancer are unknown, but certain risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing the disease, including:
- Sex-men are more likely to develop renal cancer
- Age-60+
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
Having a risk factor does not guarantee that you will develop kidney cancer, and it is possible to develop kidney cancer without any known risk factors. But please do not hesitate to contact a health professional in the event of any concerns you may have.
Symptoms of Renal Cancer
Kidney cancers do not always present symptoms. Most people who are diagnosed with kidney cancer do not have any symptoms. The most common symptoms are:
- Blood in the urine
- A lump or mass in the kidney area
- A pain in the side between the ribs and the hip
Diagnosis of Renal Cancer
Kidney cancer is sometimes detected incidentally during scans for other reasons, even in the absence of symptoms. If you have symptoms, you should visit your GP, who will conduct an examination and arrange for tests, including urine and blood tests to assess general health and kidney function.
If the GP suspects kidney cancer or cannot determine the cause of your symptoms, they will refer you to a urologist, a specialist in bladder and kidney problems. If you have blood in your urine, you might be referred to a haematuria clinic, where tests are often conducted on the same day.
If there is a suspicion of kidney cancer based on symptoms or test results, you should see a specialist within two weeks.
At the Hospital
The urologist or specialist nurse will inquire about your symptoms and general health and conduct further tests such as:
- Blood tests
- Ultrasound scan
- CT scan
- CT urogram
- Flexible cystoscopy
Waiting for test results can be challenging. If tests indicate the likelihood of kidney cancer, additional tests will be performed to determine the cancer’s size, location, and whether it has spread, a process known as staging.
Treatments available at Clatterbridge Private Clinic
The treatment you have for kidney cancer depends on the size of the cancer, where it is located, whether it has spread to other parts of the body and your age and general health. You may be offered a combination of treatments. Consultants at the Clatterbridge Private Clinic develop a tailored treatment plan for each patient best-suited to their needs. Some of the main treatment options are listed below.
Surgery
If the kidney cancer is found early and it has not spread, you may have surgery to remove it. There are two main types of surgery for kidney cancer: nephrectomy (removing a kidney) and a partial nephrectomy (removing the cancer and leaving as much as the kidney as possible).
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is sometimes used if the kidney cancer is small or you’re not well enough to have surgery. This involves passing small needles through the skin to freeze the cancer cells. The frozen cancer cells then drop off and are replaced by normal cells.
Targeted drug therapies
Targeted drug therapies exploit the behaviour of cancer cells in order to destroy them or slow their growth. These therapies use anti-cancer medicines to treat kidney cancers and are given as injections or tablets. Clatterbridge Private Clinic is one of the only clinics in the northwest with access to the most advanced targeted drug therapies for the treatment of kidney cancer, many of which are not available on the NHS.
