Kidney cancer care

The American Cancer Society estimates that a person's lifetime risk of getting kidney cancer is 1 in 75, with more men getting it than women. The rate of new kidney cancer diagnosis has risen because it is being detected more frequently through CT scans. When caught early, it is treatable and the number of survivors in remission has grown as treatment advances.

At Advocate Health Care, we offer a mix of physician expertise, advanced tools and treatment options to diagnose and treat kidney cancer. Patients receive a comprehensive, taillored treatment plan developed by our multidisciplinary cancer team.

Find an Advocate Cancer Institute near you.

About kidney cancer

Kidney cancer forms when the cells of the kidneys mutate and form a tumor. Sometimes multiple tumors can form, break off and migrate to different parts of the body. There are two main types of kidney cancer:

• Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer and accounts for about 90 percent of cancerous tumors. It begins in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney.
• Wilms’ tumor may develop in young children but are very rare.

Researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes kidney cancer, but there are some known risk factors:

• Older age
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High blood pressure / hypertension
• Kidney failure treatment / dialysis
• Inherited syndromes like von Hippel-Lindau, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis
• Family history of kidney cancer
• Frequent exposure to cadmium or specific herbicides

There best preventive measures include taking steps to improve your current health:

• Quit smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Control high blood pressure

Symptoms & diagnosis

Kidney cancer is usually detected at more advanced stages because it can grow quite large before causing discomfort or pain. Tumors are also difficult to detect in a standard physical because the kidneys are deep inside the body. Most cases where kidney cancer is caught early is due to scans being completed for other kidney issues.

Symptoms of kidney cancer include: blood in the urine or urine that looks brownish-red, persistent pain in the side of the abdomen, weight loss, a lump or mass on the side of the abdomen, fever, fatigue.  These symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer, such as infection.

Depending on the symptoms, your doctor may want to perform certain diagnostic tests, which may include:

• Blood and urine tests
• Computed tomography (CT or CAT scan): A diagnostic imaging procedure that combines multiple X-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images ("slices") of the kidneys and other organs, bones, muscle or tissue.
• Ultrasound: Uses sound waves to create a picture of the kidneys and other organs. Solid tumors and cysts are visible on the ultrasound image.
• Intravenous pyelogram (IVP): An x-ray exam that uses an injection of contrast material to evaluate your kidneys, ureters and bladder and help diagnose blood in the urine or pain in your side or lower back.

Treatments & therapies

If you find that you have kidney cancer, rest assured you have some of the best experts by your side. Our dedicated team – including board-certified urologists, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists and more specialists – work closely with you to create a personalized cancer treatment plan to ensure the best possible outcome.