Kidney cancer refers to cancers that develop in the kidneys. It is among the 10 most common cancers that affect both men and women. According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime risk for developing kidney cancer is 1 in 48.
Nine out of 10 cases of kidney cancer come from renal cell adenocarcinoma. It usually starts as a single tumor within a kidney. But in some cases, two or more tumors can grow on one kidney or both at the same time.
The following are risk factors for developing kidney cancer:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Use of pain medication
- Genetic susceptibility
- Workplace exposure to certain chemicals (asbestos, benzene, etc.)
- Hypertension
- Lymphoma
- Ethnicity (those of African ethnicity are more likely to develop this disease)
If you experience these symptoms, you may have kidney cancer and require immediate medical assistance.
- A lump in the side or abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Persistent pain in your side
- Extreme fatigue
- Fever not caused by colds or infections that lasts for weeks
- Anemia
- Inexplicable weight loss
- Swelling in the ankles or legs
You can increase your chances of surviving kidney cancer through early detection and intervention. Visit a urology specialist to learn all the options you can take to manage this condition.
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