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Get A QuoteKidney cancer is defined as the uncontrolled and rapid growth of kidney cells. It may develop in one or both kidneys. Typically, it appears as a type of mass - which is called a tumor. In the kidneys, the cancer is usually asymptomatic and found incidentally during diagnostics for other conditions.
Therefore it is prudent to always be on the lookout for any potential signs of abnormality versus what has been normal. Moreover we really do not know for sure what causes kidney cancer, certain things are linked to its formation. Ageing, lifestyle and dietary habits are considered factors contributing to developing kidney cancer.
Some of the risk factors may be modified (modifiable risk factor), and some of the risk factors are not changed (un-modifiable risk factor). Certain conditions, diseases or disorders of the kidney tend to lead towards the developing kidney cancer, usually in the advanced stages. Occupations that experience exposure to chemicals tends to be associated with kidney cancer too. The male population more likely than female to develop kidney cancer. In India, on average kidney cancer in males is 2 per 1,00,000 and in females is 1 per 1,00,000.
In India, kidney cancer therapy is significantly less expensive than in other affluent nations. In India, the cost of treating kidney cancer is often 60–70% lower than in other nations. The average price of treating renal cancer in India ranges from 2702.3 to 3542.6 USD.
What Is Kidney Cancer?
Kidney cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the tissues of the kidney. Over time, these cells form masses known as tumors. Cancer starts when something causes a change in the cells and they continue to divide without control.
A cancerous or malignant tumor can spread to other tissues or vital organs. When this occurs it is known as metastasis.
Who Does Kidney Cancer Affect?
Kidney cancer is more prevalent among persons 65 to 74 years of age. Men are twice as likely as women to suffer from this disease. It is also seen more often in Native American and Black populations.
Kidney cancer is much less prevalent in children. That said, between 500 and 600 children get diagnosed with Wilms tumor (a kind of kidney cancer) each year in the United States.
There are different types of kidney cancer:
Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)
The most common type of kidney cancer in adults is renal cell carcinoma, which accounts for 85% of all kidney cancer. Renal cell carcinoma occurs as a single tumor that is most often found in one kidney, but it can occur in both kidneys. The cancer grows from the cells in the lining of your kidney's tubules (the small tubes that return the nutrient-rich fluid back into the blood). The most common type of renal cell carcinoma is clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).
Transitional Cell Cancer
Transitional cell carcinoma occurs in 6% to 7% of all cases of kidney cancer. This cancer usually begins in the area where your ureter connects to the main part of your kidney or your renal pelvis. Transitional cell carcinoma can also happen in your ureters or bladder.
Renal sarcoma
The rarest form of kidney cancer is renal sarcoma, comprising only 1% of kidney cancers. Renal sarcoma begins in the kidney's connective tissues and can metastasize and spread to neighboring organs and bones if not treated.
Wilms tumor
The most common type of kidney cancer in children is Wilms tumor, accounting for approximately 5% of kidney cancers.
Cancers are typically classified by stage, which is a description of cancer that assists in treatment recommendations. The stage of a cancer is based on:
Your provider uses information from various tests (CT, MRI, biopsy, etc.) to determine the stage of your cancer.
Stage I: The tumor is 7 centimeters (cm) across or smaller and only in the kidney. It has not spread to lymph nodes or other tissue. (Lymph nodes are small "filters" that trap germs and cancer cells and store infection-fighting cells.).
Stage II: The tumor is larger than 7 cm across but still only in the kidney. It has not spread to lymph nodes or other tissue.
Stage III: The tumor has spread to the major blood vessels - the renal vein and inferior vena cava - or into the tissue surrounding the kidney or weights above the hill, or to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV: The tumor has spread to the adrenal gland (the small gland sitting on the kidney), or to distant lymph nodes or other organs.
Tumors are also graded, which is how we rate a tumor based on how abnormal the cells look. Tumor grading also tells the healthcare provider how fast the tumor is likely to grow. Tumors whose cells do not look like normal cells and divide fast are commonly called high-grade tumors. High-grade tumors tend to grow and spread more rapidly than low-grade tumors.
Chemotherapy
The administration of chemotherapy involves the infusion of drugs to destroy cancer cells by restricting the growth and division of new cancer cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy for kidney cancer include:
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy enhances the capability of the immune system to kill cancer cells. These drugs activate a person's own defense system and get the body ready to confront the disease. Some of the immunotherapies are:
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill the tumor in the kidney. The major kind of treatment for kidney cancer is usually not radiation therapy. It usually is not used alone to treat kidney cancer, but may be used to help the other treatments.
Target therapy
Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that targets the proteins, or cell environment the cancer cells grow and live in. The amount of destruction of healthy cells decreases and the ability of the cancer cells to grow and spread is reduced. Types of target therapy for kidney cancer are:
Active surveillance
Sometimes, it is recommended to follow the tumor closely by having regular diagnostic tests and clinic visits. This is often called "active surveillance." In older adults and those with a small kidney tumor and other serious or life threatening health conditions, such as coronary artery disease, stage 4 chronic kidney disease, or serious lung disease, active surveillance is usually preferred.
Surgery
The surgical methods involve making incisions as well as the operation to remove the tumor. They include:
Radical Nephrectomy: A radical nephrectomy is an operation in which the kidney, the tumor and any surrounding tissue are removed.
Partial Nephrectomy: A partial nephrectomy is defined as an operation in which the surgeon removes only the tumor; this reduces the risk of long-term damage to the kidney, and preserves kidney function.
Laparoscopic surgery: Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. While a typical surgical procedure will often require one large incision, laparoscopic surgery will require several small incisions.
Non-surgical methods
Radiofrequency ablation: A probe with a specific tip is placed within the tumor and an electric current and radiofrequency is passed through the probe to kill the cancerous cells.
Cryoablation: A solid iron probe is placed through a small incision in the cancer tissue during this technique to freeze and kill cancer cells.
Treatment |
Cost |
Nephrectomy |
3157 USD- 3652 USD |
Radiofrequency ablation |
1355 USD - 2661 USD |
Radiation therapy |
3605 USD- 4718 USD |
Chemotherapy |
270.8 USD - 1137 USD per session |
Others |
3024 USD-7548 USD |
Kidney cancer may not show no symptoms nor signs in the early stages. As it advances in stages, it displays some of the advanced kidney cancer symptoms:
However, the symptoms of kidney cancer in females are usually the same as males.
What Is The Primary Cause Of Kidney Cancer?
The precise cause of kidney cancer is unknown; however, there are several risk factors that may increase your chances of developing it. These are:
If you have kidney cancer symptoms, your provider will take a full medical history and complete a physical exam. Your provider may also order some other tests that can verify and investigate cancer. The tests may include:
Urinalysis: A sample of your urine (pee) will be examined to see if blood is present. Even minute traces of blood that are not visible to the naked eye will show up in the exams of urine samples.
Blood tests: Blood tests check the number of each of the kinds of blood cells and also evaluate other electrolytes in your body. A blood test can also establish if you have too little of the red blood cells (anemia) or any indication that your kidney function is impaired (such as with the creatinine).
CT scan: A CT scan is a special X-ray that uses a computer to produce a series of images, or slices, of the inside of your body. The CT scan is often used with intravenous contrast (dye); if you have impaired kidney function you may not be able to get the dye.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): This is a test that uses a large magnet, radio waves, and a computer to take pictures of the inside of your body.
Ultrasound: This test uses high-frequency sound waves that are sent through body tissues to create the images that appear on the monitor. Ultrasound is helpful in diagnosis of tumors, because they have a different density than the healthy tissues.
Renal mass biopsy: At this time we inserted a thin needle into the tumor and took a small piece of your tissue (a biopsy). We will have a pathologist look at that under a microscope to see if cancer cells are present. Be advised renal mass biopsies are not always dependable tests for kidney cancer; so your healthcare provider may or may not recommend this test.
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Compared to the price in other developed countries, kidney cancer treatment cost in India is much lower. Kidney cancer treatment cost in India is usually between 60 - 70 percent lower than countries in the west. The average cost of treatment of renal cancer in India is between 2702.3 USD and 3542.6 USD.
It is possible to cure kidney cancer, especially if caught early and treated.
Stage 4 kidney cancer has a 15% five-year survival rate, although this might vary greatly depending on personal circumstances and available treatments. Although a precise lifespan cannot be predicted, this figure offers a broad perspective.