Hypernephroma
Key points
- Renal cell carcinoma affects about 3 in 10,000 people, resulting in about 31,000 new cases in the US per year.
- Signs and tests Palpation of the abdomen may show a mass or organ enlargement, particularly of the kidney or liver.
- The stress of illness may be eased by joining a support group whose members share common experiences and problems.
- The outcome varies depending on the degree of metastasis.
Alternative names
Renal cancer; Kidney cancer; Renal cell carcinoma; Adenocarcinoma of renal cells; Cancer - kidney
Definition
Renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer that involves cancerous changes in the cells of the renal tubule, is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Renal cell carcinoma affects about 3 in 10,000 people, resulting in about 31,000 new cases in the US per year. Every year, about 12,000 people in the US die from renal cell carcinoma. It is more common in men than women, usually affecting men older than 55.
What causes the cells to become cancerous is not known. A history of smoking greatly increases the risk for developing renal cell carcinoma. Some people may also have inherited an increased risk to develop renal cell carcinoma, and a family history of kidney cancer increases the risk.
People with von Hippel-Lindau disease, a hereditary disease that affects the capillaries of the brain, commonly also develop renal cell carcinoma. Kidney disorders that require dialysis for treatment also increase the risk for developing renal cell carcinoma.
The first symptom is usually blood in the urine. Sometimes both kidneys are involved. The cancer metastasizes (spreads) easily, most often to the lungs and other organs, and about one-third of patients have metastasis at the time of diagnosis.
Symptoms
- Blood in the urine
- Abnormal urine color (dark, rusty, or brown)
- Flank pain
- Back pain
- Abdominal pain
- Unintentional weight loss of more than 5% of body weight
- Emaciated, thin, malnourished appearance
- Enlargement of one testicle
- Swelling or enlargement of the abdomen
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
- Vision abnormalities
- Paleness
- Excessive hair grown in females
- Constipation
- Cold intolerance
Signs and tests
Palpation of the abdomen may show a mass or organ enlargement, particularly of the kidney or liver. There may be a testicular varicocele in men.
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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