KIDNEY TUMOR
What is kidney cancer?
Kidneys are our organs located behind the abdominal organs on both sides of our spine, right and left, which are very important for human life.
Kidneys play an active role in cleaning the blood from harmful wastes and sending the wastes to the excretory system.
In addition, the hormones they secrete play an important role in balancing body metabolism and blood pressure.
Kidney cancer; It can develop from cells that perform filtering function forming the kidney (renal cell carcinoma) or from channels that carry urine (transitional epithelial cell cancer).
Cancer occurs when the cells that make up these structures grow and multiply irregularly and uncontrolled.
Although kidney cancers are more common in men, they can be seen in both genders and all age groups.
What are the causes of kidney cancer?
• Smoking,
• Obesity caused by unhealthy diet and inactivity,
• Presence of chronic kidney failure,
• Environmental pollution caused by radiation and some chemical agents,
• Genetic predisposition,
• Using medication for a long time, especially painkillers.
Kidney cancer symptoms
Kidney cancer is an insidious disease and often does not show symptoms in the early stages. In advanced stage kidney tumors, some symptoms may be encountered, either due to the tumor or due to the spread of the disease to other regions (metastasis):
• Blood in the urine
• Chronic back and flank pain
• Weakness, fatigue and loss of appetite
• Fast weight loss
• Occasional high fever
• Mass in the abdominal area
Diagnosing kidney cancer
Today, kidney tumors are usually detected incidentally by imaging methods such as ultrasonography or computed tomography performed for other reasons. After the health history and habits of the patient and his family are questioned, the examination and necessary tests are performed. These tests include urine, blood tests, as well as computed tomography and / or magnetic resonance imaging, if they have not been done.
Kidney cancer treatment
The treatment method to be applied to the patient is clarified after the interview with the patient. The method of treatment depends on the stage of the disease and the characteristics of the patient. Treatment of localized cancer in the kidney is usually surgery that involves removing only the tumor (partial nephrectomy) or removing the kidney together with the tumor (radical nephrectomy). Partial nephrectomy (whenever possible) is considered first-line for patients with localized tumors less than 7 cm in diameter. Surgical methods that can be applied in localized kidney tumor can be performed with open or laparoscopic surgery technique. Laparoscopic radical or partial nephrectomy can be successfully performed by physicians specialized in this field. The success of the laparoscopic method is as good as open surgery. Laparoscopic nephrectomy is cosmetically more advantageous than open surgery for less pain and faster recovery for the patient.