Kidney tumor is a pathological proliferation of renal tissue, which consists of qualitatively altered cells. Depending on the nature of the growth, we can find benign and malignant tumors of the kidney.
Benign kidney tumors are less common than malignant. The average age of diagnosing renal neoplasms in patients is 70 years, and in men, the tumor of the kidney develops 2 times more often than in women. Kidney tumors in children regarding also child’s sex occur equally often.
Malignant tumor in children in most cases has a mixed nature and is called the Wilms’ tumor.
Causes of kidney tumors
Up to this day we still don’t know what are the real reasons of creation of kidney tumors, nor we have identified specific carcinogens. Nevertheless, there are numerous factors when we have tumor developments more often than usually:
1. Hereditary predisposition
2. Weakened immunity
3. Smoking
4. Radiation damage
Classification of kidney tumors
In clinical practice it is used classification that is based on clinical and radiologic characteristic:
Benign tumors of kidney parenchyma: adenoma, lipoma, fibromas, angiomyolipomas…
Malignant tumors of kidney parenchyma: renal cell cancer, fibroangioma sarcoma, mio angiosarcoma, lipoangioma sarcoma, mixed Wilms’ tumor.
Benign tumors that have origin in renal calyces: papilloma of the kidney, renal angioma, renal leiomyoma…
Malign tumor of kidney that have origin in renal calyces: transitional carcinoma of cells of calyces, carcinomas of plate cells of calyces, colon carcinoma and cancer of calyces, sarcoma of renal calyces.
Symptoms of kidney tumors
In initial development phases of kidney cancer, clinical signs (symptoms of diseases) can be absent or so mild that it can not be detected. Therefore, patient still does not feel any pain nor health issues. As process of disease develops, there can be symptoms and disorders as follows:
- weakness and chronic tiredness
- decreased appetite
- loss of weight
- increased body temperature (37-38° C)
- dull pain in lumbar region on painful side (sometimes pain irradiates on groin and thighs)
- anemia
- polycythemia
- arterial hypertension
- hematuria
- renal colic (blood clots in urine)
- palpable tumors
- symptoms that are related with metastasis
Kidney cancer – Healing
Main option of kidney cancer is operation. Today it is more often done laparoscopic surgery of kidneys-with a small cut that is better for the patient than classical method after which patient has faster recovery.
Even if the metastatic changes are present, removing of primary focus of metastasis, the life of a patient can be lengthened. Kidney cancer often gives metastasis on lungs and bones.
Radiotherapy is used only as palliative measure for kidney cancers which can not be operated from some justified reason. As conservative treatment, it is used immunotherapy, as well as hormonal therapy.
Key of successful healing
Key to successful healing of kidney cancer is timely diagnosis for which it is necessary to contact an expert. The most frequently used method of kidney cancer healing around the world is surgical intervention, regarding the fact that characteristic of this cancers is their insensitivity to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Depending on the place of localization, to which extent cancer is ingrown in organ and what is it’s size-we perform open or laparoscopic method.
If size of lesion is not larger than 10 cm, it is used laparoscopy. If there are contraindications for this type of intervention, then open operation is performed that enables removing of cancer swimmingly.
Open operation of kidney cancer often includes removing of the organ that is ill-affected (in this case-kidney). If cancer is smaller than 4 cm, it is performed partial removing of kidney tissue.
It is important to have in mind that application of different methods depends on the data that are obtained in diagnostic study.
Operation of kidney cancer
Technical equipment of medical institution and qualification of the surgeon that will perform the operation are crucial. Our hospital-Atlas General Hospital from Belgrade performs operation of kidney cancer with success. After surgical intervention it is necessary to constantly follow the patient. In case of timely and methodologically right treatment, the risk of recidive is very small.
