Subscribe
Kidney cancer
Does kidney cancer affect the renal calyx?
Kidney cancer lesions can sometimes affect the renal calyces. This is because kidney cancer is a malignant disease characterized by invasion and metastasis. When the lesions from kidney cancer invade the surrounding renal tissues, this can impact the function of the renal calyces. Some patients may experience toxic side effects from chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and other related antitumor treatments for kidney cancer, which can also affect the renal calyces. In summary, the lesions from kidney cancer and related antitumor treatments can potentially affect and even lead to clinical manifestations of kidney damage, including complications such as hydronephrosis. Once the kidney cancer lesions affect the renal calyces, this can result in sequelae such as renal failure.
Is nephroblastoma a type of kidney cancer?
From a broad perspective, nephroblastoma belongs to kidney cancer, but its characteristics are still different. Nephroblastoma, also known as Wilms' tumor or embryonal tumor of the kidney, is the most common malignant kidney tumor in children, generally 80% of cases occur before the age of five, with an average age of about 3.5 years. The main manifestation is an abdominal mass, most often incidentally discovered by parents or doctors. Diagnosis is generally made through renal ultrasound as an initial screening, while renal CT and MRI can clearly show the extent of the tumor and the surrounding lymph nodes and organs, and whether renal blood vessels are involved. Chest X-rays or CT scans can determine if there are any lung metastases.
How long does it take for kidney cancer to progress from early to late stage?
It will likely take about two years. Kidney cancer is a malignant tumor with a relatively high degree of malignancy, and its prognosis is closely related to its specific pathological staging. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately judge this time frame as it relates to individual differences in tumors and the degree of malignancy. Timely detection and standard treatment are crucial. The first choice is surgical treatment, which should be followed by immunotherapy and targeted therapy to prevent and reduce the possibility of postoperative recurrence and metastasis. If controlled effectively, early cure is possible, and the survival period in the middle and late stages can be significantly extended. Early treatment primarily involves surgical operations, which can be complemented by traditional Chinese medicine to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Is Stage 2 kidney cancer considered early stage?
Kidney cancer refers to a malignant tumor that occurs in the kidney. The causes of kidney cancer are not particularly clear at present, but are related to genetics, smoking, obesity, hypertension, and the treatment of hypertension. Most early-stage kidney cancer patients are found to have asymptomatic kidney cancer during health check-ups, and these patients account for more than 50% to 60% of all kidney cancer cases. Patients with kidney cancer generally experience back pain and hematuria, and some patients may present with an abdominal mass. Stage II kidney cancer is considered early-stage kidney cancer. For the treatment of kidney cancer, a clear diagnosis first requires a CT scan and enhanced CT of the kidney. The preferred treatment method for stage II kidney cancer is radical nephrectomy, which can be performed using laparoscopic surgery or traditional open surgery, with laparoscopic surgery primarily favored at present. After kidney cancer surgery, regular follow-ups are necessary to prevent distant metastasis. Therefore, post-operative check-ups should occur every 3 to 6 months for the first three years, followed by an annual follow-up thereafter. Hence, stage II kidney cancer, being early-stage, can be cured.
Will a stage 1 kidney cancer recurrence occur after nephrectomy?
Stage I kidney cancer generally belongs to early-stage kidney cancer, which usually presents no symptoms and is most often discovered during physical examinations. This is the case for more than 50%-60% of kidney cancers. The examination for kidney cancer also requires a CT scan of the kidney and an enhanced CT scan to confirm the diagnosis. If it is stage I, the cure rate through surgical removal is very high. Surgical operation is the first choice for treating kidney cancer and is recognized as a means to cure kidney cancer. Early-stage kidney cancer can be treated with laparoscopic or traditional open surgery, which involves a radical removal of the kidney. For patients with stage I kidney cancer, the five-year survival rate can reach about 92%. Post-surgery, regular follow-up visits are necessary to check for recurrence, metastasis, and new tumors. After surgery, stage I kidney cancer patients should have follow-up visits every three to six months for the first three years and annually thereafter. Stage I kidney cancer has a chance of being completely cured but also the possibility of recurrence, so regular follow-ups are essential.
Treatment Plans for Renal Cancer
The treatment principles for kidney cancer vary depending on the stage of the cancer. For localized or locally advanced kidney cancer, surgical treatment is primarily used. For advanced kidney cancer, a comprehensive medical treatment approach is mainly used. Surgical treatment is typically the first choice for treating kidney cancer and is currently recognized as a curative method. In early stages, kidney-sparing surgery or radical nephrectomy can be performed using either laparoscopic or open surgery. For mid to late-stage kidney cancer patients, radical nephrectomy is commonly performed as an open surgery. For advanced kidney cancer, treatment primarily involves medical management, which may include surgical removal of the affected kidney. Additionally, treatments can be supplemented with immunotherapy or targeted therapy to improve treatment efficacy. Therefore, different stages of kidney cancer require different treatment plans.
Clinical Manifestations of Renal Cancer
In the early stages of kidney cancer, most patients do not experience any discomfort symptoms, making it difficult to detect. As the tumor progresses to the middle and late stages and increases in size, it can cause symptoms of back pain. If the tumor breaches the renal pelvis, leading to ruptured blood vessels, this condition will be accompanied by obvious gross hematuria, which often appears intermittently and is painless. If the tumor is large, a mass can be felt in the back. If these symptoms arise, it is crucial to promptly visit the hospital's urology department for tests such as ultrasound and CT scans to establish a clear diagnosis. If necessary, active surgical intervention should be considered.
Clinical manifestations of renal cancer
The clinical manifestations and staging of kidney cancer are related to the most common early-stage kidney cancer, late-stage kidney cancer, or metastatic kidney cancer. Generally, early-stage kidney cancer exhibits few clinical symptoms and is often detected during physical examinations, through ultrasonography of the urinary tract, or kidney ultrasonography, where tumors are the most commonly found. Additionally, later stages of kidney cancer often present as swelling pain in the waist area or occasional hematuria. More serious conditions involve feeling a mass in the upper abdomen upon palpation, which is a clinical manifestation. Nowadays, with heightened awareness for health checks, such conditions are generally discovered through these examinations. When major clinical manifestations like hematuria and abdominal masses occur, it indicates that the kidney tumor has already progressed to the mid or late stages.
Is kidney cancer the same as uremia?
Kidney cancer and uremia are two completely different concepts. Kidney cancer refers to the presence of a malignant tumor, which is a malignant lesion in kidney-type tissues. Certain cells in the kidney are in a state of limitless proliferation, continuously replicating to form kidney-like masses, and may cause hematuria, or even squeeze kidney tissues affecting their function. Uremia, on the other hand, refers to long-term chronic damage to the kidneys from various diseases, leading to the destruction of over 90% of kidney tissue, rendering the kidneys unable to excrete metabolic waste. This results in azotemia, electrolyte disorders, and other complications, a state known as uremia. Patients with kidney cancer, if the damage to kidney tissues is not severe, may still have normal kidney function. However, if severe problems occur in both kidneys, kidney cancer could also lead to uremia, although this situation is relatively rare.
Can kidney cancer be diagnosed with a CT scan?
If you have kidney cancer, preoperative examinations, including ultrasound, CT, and even MRI, cannot definitively diagnose the cancer. These preoperative tests primarily provide diagnostic references. To confirm a diagnosis of kidney cancer, a biopsy via renal tumor puncture must be performed, or after surgery, the specimen should be sent for pathological examination to be definitively diagnosed based on the pathology results. This is because the pathology results clarify the type of tumor cells and their grading, making the pathological examination the final and most accurate diagnostic result.