Kidney Cancer (cont.)
Symptoms of kidney cancer
Common symptoms of kidney cancer include:
- Blood in
the urine (making the urine slightly rusty
to deep red)
- Pain in the side that does not go away
- A lump or mass in the side or the abdomen
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Feeling very tired or having a general feeling of poor health
Most often, these symptoms do not mean cancer. An infection, a cyst, or
another problem also can cause the same symptoms. A person with any of these
symptoms should see a doctor so that any problem can be diagnosed and treated as
early as possible.
Diagnosis of kidney cancer
If a patient has symptoms that suggest kidney cancer, the doctor may perform
one or more of the following procedures:
- Physical exam: The doctor
checks general signs of health and tests for fever and high blood pressure.
The doctor also feels the abdomen and side for tumors.
- Urine tests: Urine is
checked for blood and other signs of disease.
- Blood tests: The lab
checks the blood to see how well the kidneys are working. The lab may check
the level of several substances, such as creatinine. A high level of
creatinine may mean the kidneys are not doing their job.
- Intravenous pyelogram
(IVP): The doctor injects dye into a vein in the arm. The dye travels
through the body and collects in the kidneys. The dye makes them show up on
x-rays. A series of x-rays then tracks the dye as it moves through the kidneys
to the ureters and bladder. The x-rays can show a kidney tumor or other
problems.
- CT scan (CAT scan): An
x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of the
kidneys. The patient may receive an injection of dye so the kidneys show up
clearly in the pictures. A CT
scan can show a kidney tumor.
- Ultrasound test: The ultrasound device uses sound
waves that people cannot hear. The waves bounce off the kidneys, and a
computer uses the echoes to create a picture called a sonogram. A solid tumor
or cyst shows up on a sonogram.
- Biopsy: In some cases,
the doctor may do a biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of tissue to look for
cancer cells. The doctor inserts a thin needle through the skin into the
kidney to remove a small amount of tissue. The doctor may use ultrasound or
x-rays to guide the needle. A pathologist uses a microscope to look for cancer
cells in the tissue.
- Surgery: In most cases, based on the results of the CT
scan, ultrasound, and x-rays, the doctor has enough information to recommend
surgery to remove part or all of the kidney. A pathologist makes the final
diagnosis by examining the tissue under a microscope.
Next: How is kidney cancer treated? »
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