Renal cancer is caused due to the abnormal growth of cells within the kidney leading to the formation of a tumor called the renal cortical tumor. Malignant renal cortical tumors can spread to other parts of the body including vital organs. There are several tests and treatment methods available for renal cancer patients, but if the tumor is not detected in its initial stages, it may be fatal. The chances of survival get slimmer as the disease progresses across its various stages. Let’s have a look at the diagnosis and treatments of renal cancer.
Diagnostic tests of renal cancer
- Imaging tests
Imaging tests are used by doctors to visualize an abnormality or the presence of a kidney tumor. Doctors may use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound or CT scans for the same.
- Blood and urine tests
Blood and urine samples may provide doctors with information regarding the symptoms patients are suffering from. - Biopsy
Doctors may remove a small portion of the kidney from a suspicious area to test it and to look for signs of cancer.
Once renal cancer is diagnosed and confirmed, doctors determine the extent to which cancer has spread. Doctors conduct imaging tests and CT scans to determine how big the tumor is and how far it has spread in the body. Depending on the size of the tumor, it is categorized into four stages. Each stage is associated with a slimmer survival chance.
Treatment for renal cancer
- Surgery
Surgery involves removing the tumor or removing the affected kidney. There is a risk of infection and bleeding when it comes to surgery, but it is the main treatment procedure for the majority of renal cancer cases. Nephrectomy is the procedure which involves the removal of the entire kidney, a lining of healthy tissue and nearby tissues. Partial nephrectomy involves the removal of the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. Partial nephrectomy is preferred to nephrectomy whenever possible to reduce the risk of complications in the future and to preserve kidney function. Surgery is preferred when the cancer is limited to the kidney and has not spread to other parts of the body. - Non-Surgical Treatment
There are a couple of available treatment methods to destroy tumors without having to perform surgery. Cryoablation is the process of insertion of a hollow needle into the kidney tumor. This is done using the help of ultrasound or other image guidance techniques. The aim is to freeze cancer cells by passing cold gas through the needle. Radiofrequency ablation is the process of insertion of a special probe into the tumor using the help of ultrasound or other image guidance techniques. An electric current is passed through the probe into the tumor, effectively burning the cancerous cells. - Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy involves the usage of high-powered electric beams like X-rays to eradicate cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be used to control the symptoms of the disease that have spread to other parts of the body. - Other treatment methods include clinical trials and targeted therapy.
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