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- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
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Kidney Cancer
Summary
You have two kidneys. They are fist-sized organs on either side of your backbone above your waist. The tubes inside filter and clean your blood, taking out waste products and making urine. Kidney cancer forms in the lining of tiny tubes inside your kidneys.
Kidney cancer becomes more likely as you age. Risk factors include smoking, having certain genetic conditions, and misusing pain medicines for a long time.
You may have no symptoms at first. They may appear as the cancer grows. See your health care provider if you notice:
- Blood in your urine
- A lump in your abdomen
- Weight loss for no reason
- Pain in your side that does not go away
- Loss of appetite
Tests to diagnose kidney cancer include blood, urine, and imaging tests. You may also have a biopsy.
Treatment depends on your age, your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, biologic, or targeted therapies. Biologic therapy boosts your body’s own ability to fight cancer. Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
Encyclopedia
- Abdominal CT scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Abdominal MRI scan Medical Encyclopedia
- After chemotherapy – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Cytology exam of urine Medical Encyclopedia
- Hemoglobinuria test Medical Encyclopedia
- Intravenous pyelogram Medical Encyclopedia
- Pelvis MRI scan Medical Encyclopedia
- RBC urine test Medical Encyclopedia
- Renal arteriography Medical Encyclopedia
- Renal scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Renal venogram Medical Encyclopedia
- Ureteral retrograde brush biopsy Medical Encyclopedia
- Urine – bloody Medical Encyclopedia
Treatments and Therapies
- Ablation and Other Local Therapy for Kidney Cancer American Cancer Society
- Drugs Approved for Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer National Cancer Institute
- Immunotherapy for Kidney Cancer American Cancer Society
- Kidney removal (nephrectomy) – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
- Nephrectomy (Kidney Removal) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Targeted Therapy for Kidney Cancer American Cancer Society
- Treatment Option Overview (Renal Cell Cancer) National Cancer Institute
Statistics and Research
- Advances in Kidney Cancer Research National Cancer Institute
- Cancer of the Kidney and Renal Pelvis National Cancer Institute
- Key Statistics About Kidney Cancer American Cancer Society
- Kidney Cancer Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Liquid Biopsy Detects Brain Cancer and Early-Stage Kidney Cancer National Cancer Institute
- Targeted Therapy – Immunotherapy Combinations Effective for Advanced Kidney Cancer National Cancer Institute
- What’s New in Kidney Cancer Research and Treatment? American Cancer Society
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society American Cancer Society
- Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology
- National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
- Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services National Cancer Institute
Genetics
- Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Hereditary Kidney Cancer Syndromes National Cancer Institute
- Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- What Causes Kidney Cancer? American Cancer Society
Diagnosis and Tests
- Can Kidney Cancer Be Found Early? American Cancer Society
- Kidney Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- PDL1 (Immunotherapy) Tests National Library of Medicine
- Stages of Renal Cell Cancer National Cancer Institute
- Tests for Kidney Cancer American Cancer Society
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Carcinoma, Renal Cell National Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Kidney Neoplasms National Institutes of Health
Start Here
- General Information about Renal Cell Cancer National Cancer Institute
- Kidney Cancer Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- What Is Kidney Cancer? American Cancer Society
Patient Handouts
- Kidney removal Medical Encyclopedia
- Kidney removal – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Renal cell carcinoma Medical Encyclopedia
- Renal pelvis or ureter cancer Medical Encyclopedia
Reference Desk
- Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- Your Kidneys and How They Work National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Living With
- Living as a Kidney Cancer Survivor American Cancer Society
Journal Articles
Related Issues
- Questions to Ask about Kidney Cancer American Cancer Society
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer American Cancer Society
Children
- Ultrasound: Renal (Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder) (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- Wilms’ Tumor: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine