Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma)

Kidney cancer, also called renal cell carcinoma, happens when cells in your kidneys grow out of control. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter waste from your blood and make urine. Renal cell carcinoma starts in the tiny tubes inside your kidneys that do the filtering work.

This type of cancer accounts for about 90% of all kidney cancers in adults. It usually affects people over age 60, but younger adults can develop it too. The cancer can grow slowly or quickly depending on the type.

When caught early, kidney cancer is often treatable. Many cases are found by accident during imaging tests for other health problems. Understanding your risk and watching for early signs can help you catch this cancer when treatment works best.

• Blood in your urine, which may look pink, red, or cola-colored
• Pain in your side or lower back that does not go away
• A lump or mass you can feel in your side or abdomen
• Ongoing tiredness or fatigue that does not improve with rest
• Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
• Fever that comes and goes without an infection
• Anemia, or low red blood cell count
• High blood pressure that develops suddenly
• Swelling in your ankles or legs

Many people with early kidney cancer have no symptoms at all. The cancer may grow for months or years before causing noticeable problems. This is why routine testing and health monitoring matter so much for early detection.

The exact cause of kidney cancer is not fully understood, but certain factors raise your risk. Smoking doubles your chance of developing renal cell carcinoma. Obesity increases risk because extra body fat changes hormone levels and puts stress on your kidneys. High blood pressure damages blood vessels in the kidneys over time. Long-term use of certain pain medications and exposure to workplace chemicals like trichloroethylene also increase risk.

Your genes play a role too. People with a family history of kidney cancer face higher risk. Certain inherited conditions like von Hippel-Lindau disease directly increase kidney cancer likelihood. Men develop kidney cancer twice as often as women. African Americans have slightly higher rates than other groups. Chronic kidney disease and long-term dialysis also raise your chances of developing this cancer.

Doctors diagnose kidney cancer using imaging tests and urine analysis. A urine blood test can detect blood cells in your urine, which appears in 40% to 60% of kidney cancer cases. This happens when a tumor grows into blood vessels in your kidney. A CT scan or MRI shows the size and location of kidney tumors. Ultrasound can find masses and help determine if they are solid or fluid-filled.

Rite Aid offers urine blood testing as part of our flagship health panel. Getting tested regularly helps catch warning signs early when treatment works best. If blood shows up in your urine, your doctor may order imaging tests to look at your kidneys directly. A biopsy, where doctors remove a small tissue sample, confirms if a mass is cancerous and what type it is.

• Surgery to remove part or all of the affected kidney, the most common treatment for localized cancer
• Active surveillance for very small, slow-growing tumors in older adults or people with other health issues
• Ablation therapy that uses heat or cold to destroy small tumors without surgery
• Targeted therapy drugs that block specific proteins cancer cells need to grow
• Immunotherapy medications that help your immune system recognize and attack cancer cells
• Radiation therapy to relieve symptoms if cancer has spread to bones or brain
• Maintaining a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and regular physical activity
• Quitting smoking, which improves treatment outcomes and overall health
• Managing blood pressure with medication and lifestyle changes
• Regular follow-up testing to monitor for cancer recurrence