What is kidney cancer?
The kidney has two important functions in our body. The first of these tasks is to filter the blood and excrete the waste substances in it through urine, while the second task is to maintain the mineral balance of the body.
Kidney cancer is when kidney cells become abnormal, fail to function, lose their shape and multiply rapidly. Although the causes of kidney cancer are not yet known for certain, obesity and smoking are among the strongest causes. On the other hand, people with a family history of cancer and hypertension are also considered to be at risk.
Kidney cancer symptoms
Kidney cancer is one of the insidious types of cancer. For this reason, many patients do not recognize the symptoms until their cancer is at an advanced stage. For this reason, kidney cancers in the early stages are often discovered by chance during general CT scans. Symptoms seen in advanced kidney cancers are as follows:
- Weight loss and involuntary emaciation,
- Abdominal pain
- Palpable masses on the sides or abdomen,
- Back pain or side pain,
- Blood in the urine,
Kidney cancer diagnosis methods
Unfortunately, kidney cancers are asymptomatic in their early stages. For this reason, it is often detected incidentally during imaging scans for other conditions or regular health checks. In patients who do not have regular health checks, it becomes impossible to diagnose cancer at an early stage. For this reason, these patients can live with kidney cancer for years.
Because of this feature of kidney cancer, CT scans should be performed in any suspicious situation, especially in ultrasound kidney imaging. This scan requires the use of contrast agents. In order to make a definitive diagnosis of kidney cancer, a detailed history of the patient must first be taken. Then, after a physical examination, some blood and urine tests are performed. It may also be necessary to take a biopsy sample to determine the treatment.
Kidney cancer treatment methods
Kidney treatments are planned according to the general health status of the patients and the stage of the cancer. There are also factors such as the location of the tumor in the kidney, whether it has metastasized and its size.
Partial Nephrectomy
Partial nephrectomy, which is the first surgical treatment option for small tumors, preserves the kidney while removing the tumor. Partial nephrectomy, which is considered the gold standard, can be performed both robotically and laparoscopically.
In addition, partial nephrectomy can be performed for larger tumors. However, for this, the tumor must be located close to the kidney wall and away from the vessels.
Removal of the Entire Kidney
If the tumor causing kidney cancer is very large and located in the central area where there is vascularization, the entire kidney must be removed. It is frequently applied especially in tumors located in the central region of the kidney.
Radiofrequency
High frequency In radiofrequency, a treatment using radio waves, tumors are intervened with heat. 3- After radiofrequency application, which can be applied for tumors larger than 4 cm, tumor cells remain in the body. For this reason, patients should be followed up every 3 months.
Cryotherapy
The cryotherapy treatment method used in the treatment of both benign and malignant tumors is one of the locally applied treatment methods. Cryotherapy is defined as the process of destroying the tumor by alternating cycles of heat and cold. Cryotherapy, which is guided by ultrasound or computed tomography, is applied by placing cryoablation probes through the skin into the lesions.
Cryotherapy, which is used as an alternative to radiation and surgical treatment options, is applied to patients who cannot undergo surgical treatment. This method, which is especially preferred in patients with blood pressure and heart disease, takes approximately 2 to 3 hours. While it takes 3 to 4 weeks for the method to yield results, it takes up to 1 year for the dead cells to be completely removed from the body.
Chemotherapy
Kidney tumors are usually resistant to chemotherapy because of their characteristics. However, it is still one of the treatment methods that continue to be applied. It is especially applied in the treatment of kidney cancers that have metastasized to the brain, lung or bone. The types of kidney cancer that are particularly responsive include sarcomatoid features, which can be seen in any histologic type, renal medullary cancer and collecting duct carcinoma, which is very rare and has a poor prognosis.
Radiotherapy
Since a significant proportion of kidney cancer cells are of the clear cell histologic type, they are resistant to radiotherapy as well as chemotherapy. However, it is a treatment method applied in case of bone and brain metastases. Because of these characteristics of kidney cancer, radiotherapy is only used in the case of metastases or if it cannot be removed surgically.
What are adrenal cancers?
The adrenal glands are one of the endocrine glands located in 2 layers above the kidneys and are responsible for hormone production. The first layer is the anterior region of the adrenal glands and the second is the shell region. Tumors of the adrenal glands can be benign or malignant. These tumors, which tend to spread, cause cancer of the adrenal glands.
Kidney Cancer Stages
Determining the stage of kidney cancer is crucial for planning an effective treatment. Kidney cancer stages, which are basically divided into 4 stages, are also divided into groups within themselves.
Phase 1
First stage kidney cancers are divided into two categories. The first of these is the phase called T1a. At this stage, when tumors are limited to the kidney, tumors are also smaller than 4 cm. In the other stage, called T1b, the tumor has again not exceeded the renal capsule, but its size varies between 4 and 7 cm.
Phase 2
Stage 2 kidney cancers are also divided into two. In the lower stage, called T2a, the tumor is still within the renal borders and its diameter varies between 7 and 10 cm.
In T2b stage, tumors over 10 cm are still limited to the kidney.
Phase 3
Stage 3 kidney cancers are divided into three. The first of these stages is T3a. At this stage, although the tumor is located in the kidney capsule, it also invades the adrenal glands. At stage T3b, the tumor has exceeded the borders of the kidney. In addition, the tumor has invaded the renal vein. In T3c stage kidney cancers, the tumor that exceeds the kidney border also has tumor tissue in the main vein of the kidney.
Phase 4
Stage 4, the last stage of kidney cancer. At this stage, the tumor has also overcome the membrane surrounding the fatty tissue around the kidney.
