Life after being diagnosed with cancer will be different for everyone. Some people will have minimal disease and it will be a short chapter of their lives, while others will have a diagnosis that will change the course of the rest of their lives. Cancer diagnoses can change relationships, your routines, your work and home life. One thing is certain, no one person’s experience will be exactly the same. There are however, plenty of resources to learn about what life was like for other people, and what they did to achieve balance, maintain their health and personal life, keep peace of mind, and enjoy their lives with or after cancer.
Your experience with cancer will depend on the type of cancer you have, your choices of treatment and the lifestyle you lead. Be sure to speak with your Doctor about the side effects of your disease and the treatments you choose. Your Doctor will be able to consult with you on realistic lifestyle expectations.
Tumors in the kidney can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Benign tumors are not as harmful as malignant tumors.
Malignant or cancerous tumors, though, can invade nearby tissue and spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body.
They can also spread through blood vessels to the lungs, bones or liver. After spreading, kidney cancer cells may attach to other tissues and grow to form new tumors that may damage those tissues. When cancer spreads, this is known as metastasis.
Types of kidney cancer
There are four types of kidney cancer:
- Renal cell carcinoma. The most common type of kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma is seen in about 85 percent of cases. It starts in the kidney’s filtering systems.
- Transitional cell carcinoma. This type begins in the area where urine collects before it travels to the bladder. Transitional cell carcinoma is also called urothelial carcinoma. This is very similar to and is treated like bladder cancer.
- Sarcoma. This rare form of kidney cancer can grow quite large, but sarcoma of the kidney does not usually metastasize as often as other types of kidney cancer.
- Wilms tumor. This is the most common form of kidney cancer in children. Wilms tumor is treated differently than adult kidney cancer.
Along with different types of kidney cancer, tumors are made up of different types of cells. There are about 10 different types of kidney tumor cells which are identified to help plan the best treatment.
If you have symptoms that suggest kidney cancer, your doctor will try to find out what’s causing the problems.
You may have a physical exam, along with one or more of the following tests:
- Urine tests. Your urine is checked for blood and other signs of disease.
- Blood tests. Your blood is analyzed for several substances, such as creatinine. A high level of creatinine may mean the kidneys aren’t working properly.
- Ultrasound. An ultrasound device uses sound waves to make a picture of your kidney and nearby tissues. This picture will show a tumor.
- CT scan. An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of your abdomen. The CT scan can show cancer in the kidneys, lymph nodes or elsewhere in the abdomen.
- MRI. A large machine with a strong magnet linked to a computer makes detailed pictures of your urinary tract and lymph nodes. An MRI can show cancer in your kidneys, lymph nodes or other tissues in the abdomen.
- IVP. Not used as commonly as other imaging studies, an IVP uses dye that’s injected into a vein to show x-ray images of kidney tumors or other problems.
Biopsy
If kidney cancer is suspected, a small sample of tissue will be removed to check for cancer cells. In some cases, your doctor will do a biopsy to diagnose kidney cancer.
When you get a diagnosis of kidney cancer, it’s natural to wonder what may have caused the disease. Doctors usually can’t explain why one person gets kidney cancer and another doesn’t.
However, we do know that people with certain risk factors may be more likely than others to develop kidney cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of getting a disease.
Here are the most common risk factors for kidney cancer:
- Smoking. People who smoke tobacco products have a higher risk than nonsmokers. The more cigarettes and the longer the smoking history, the greater the risks.
- Obesity. Being obese increases the risk of kidney cancer.
- High blood pressure. Having high blood pressure may increase the risk of kidney cancer.
- Family history of kidney cancer. People with a family member who has had kidney cancer have a slightly increased risk of the disease. Also, certain conditions that run in families can increase the risk of kidney cancer.
- Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome. VHL is a rare disease that runs in some families. It’s caused by changes in the VHL gene. They may also have cysts or tumors in the eyes, brain, or other parts of the body. Family members of those with VHL can have a test to check for a changed VHL gene.
Many people who develop kidney cancer have none of these risk factors, and many people who have known risk factors don’t develop the disease.
Tumors in the kidney can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Benign tumors are not as harmful as malignant tumors.
Malignant or cancerous tumors, though, can invade nearby tissue and spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body.
They can also spread through blood vessels to the lungs, bones or liver. After spreading, kidney cancer cells may attach to other tissues and grow to form new tumors that may damage those tissues. When cancer spreads, this is known as metastasis.
Types of kidney cancer
There are four types of kidney cancer:
- Renal cell carcinoma. The most common type of kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma is seen in about 85 percent of cases. It starts in the kidney’s filtering systems.
- Transitional cell carcinoma. This type begins in the area where urine collects before it travels to the bladder. Transitional cell carcinoma is also called urothelial carcinoma. This is very similar to and is treated like bladder cancer.
- Sarcoma. This rare form of kidney cancer can grow quite large, but sarcoma of the kidney does not usually metastasize as often as other types of kidney cancer.
- Wilms tumor. This is the most common form of kidney cancer in children. Wilms tumor is treated differently than adult kidney cancer.
Along with different types of kidney cancer, tumors are made up of different types of cells. There are about 10 different types of kidney tumor cells which are identified to help plan the best treatment.
Every cancer diagnosis is different, just as every person who is diagnosed with cancer is different. Cancer knows no barriers to race, age, or social group. However there is one thing that each and every person who is diagnosed with cancer will have in common: help with fighting and beating the disease.
Life after being diagnosed with cancer will be different for everyone. Some people will have minimal disease and it will be a short chapter of their lives, while others will have a diagnosis that will change the course of the rest of their lives. Cancer diagnoses can change relationships, your routines, your work and home life. One thing is certain, no one person’s experience will be exactly the same. There are however, plenty of resources to learn about what life was like for other people, and what they did to achieve balance, maintain their health and personal life, keep peace of mind, and enjoy their lives with or after cancer.
Clinical Trials
The search for a cure for cancer is an ongoing, constant battle. Clinical trials are the basis upon which new treatments and medications are proven to help the fight against cancer, or if researchers should pursue another tactic. The advancement of medicine depends on willing and able cancer patients to volunteer for experimental treatments so that future generations will have proven and effective cures. Not every patient with cancer will be eligible for a clinical trial, as the scientific method needs specific patients with specific types of cancers. However, patients who are selected for trials may benefit from being at the cutting edge of new research, and gain time they otherwise might not have had.
The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health has a comprehensive database of over 10,000 ongoing clinical trials that both help advance medicine and help patients.
Financial Help
Unfortunately, cancer treatment can be costly, even if a patient has very comprehensive health insurance. For patients who do not have health insurance, the cost of treatment may seem insurmountable. Fortunately many pharmaceutical companies offer cost assistance to help make treatment more affordable. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has compiled a Virtual Reimbursement Room where patients can find information for accessing financial help with their treatment costs.
Common symptoms of kidney cancer include:
- Blood in your urine (which may make urine look rusty or darker red)
- Pain in your side that doesn’t go away
- A lump or mass in your side or abdomen
- Weight loss for no known reason
- Fever
- Feeling very tired
These symptoms may be caused by kidney cancer or other health problems, such as an infection or a kidney cyst.
If you have any of these symptoms that don’t go away, get them checked out with your doctor
The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 65,000 Americans will be diagnosed with kidney cancer this year. About 70 percent of these individuals will be alive after learning they have the disease. Some 13,500 men and women will not beat kidney cancer this year.