What is kidney cancer

There are several subtypes of RCC, based mainly on how the cancer cells look in the lab. Knowing the subtype of RCC can be a factor in deciding treatment and can also help your doctor determine if your cancer might be caused by an inherited genetic syndrome.

See Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer for more information about inherited kidney cancer syndromes. This is the most common form of renal cell carcinoma. About 7 out of 10 people with RCC have this kind of cancer. When seen in the lab, the cells that make up clear cell RCC look very pale or clear.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma : This is the second most common subtype — about 1 in 10 RCCs are of this type. These cancers form little finger-like projections called papillae in some, if not most, of the tumor.

Some doctors call these cancers chromophilic because the cells take in certain dyes and look pink when looked at under the microscope.

The cells of these cancers are also pale, like the clear cells, but are much larger and have certain other features that can be recognized when looked at very closely. Other types of kidney cancers include transitional cell carcinomas, Wilms tumors, and renal sarcomas.

Transitional cell carcinoma : Of every cancers in the kidney, about 5 to 10 are transitional cell carcinomas TCCs , also known as urothelial carcinomas. This lining is made up of cells called transitional cells that look like the cells that line the ureters and bladder. These are:. For active surveillance, your doctor will see you at intervals for tests and imaging taking pictures of inside your body. Active surveillance is considered for small masses less than 3 cm about 1.

The goal is to prevent progression and avoid potential risks and negative effects of other treatments. Your visits will be every three, six or twelvemonths as necessary. You may also have chest x-rays, as well as CT scans and ultrasounds.

How often you see your doctor will depend on tumor size and stage and your age and general medical condition. If your tumor is small T1a, mass less than three cm in size , your surgeon may consider ablation. Ablation destroys the tumor with extreme heat or cold.

Your doctor may do a biopsy before ablation so a pathologist can look closely at the tumor cells to see if there is cancer. Nephrectomy means removal of the kidney. Partial nephrectomy means the doctor removes the tumor and the diseased part of the kidney but leaves the healthy part. If your tumor is at T1a stage 4cm or less , your doctor may suggest a partial nephrectomy.

A partial nephrectomy can also be done for larger tumors if the tumor appears confined and amenable to this surgical approach. During a radical nephrectomy, the whole kidney is removed. This is done if your kidney tumor shows signs of becoming cancerous or is very large or aggressive.

Your body can function well with one good kidney if the other is removed. Surgery for both types of nephrectomy can often be done via laparoscopic surgery but may need to be done by traditional open surgery depending on the size and characteristics of the tumor.

During laparoscopy, your surgeon makes a very small hole in your abdomen and threads a thin, lighted tube to the site to look at the kidney.

Your health care team is likely to have several different medical professionals such as a radiologist, urologist, nephrologists, pathologist and medical oncologist. These specialists will work with you to consider all your choices and discuss the risks and benefits of treatment. Genetic counseling might also be recommended if you have a family history of kidney tumors.

It is of great value to stay in touch with your health care provider and keep follow-up appointments. These check-ups are important to watch for re-growth of tumors. After initial treatment, your doctor may perform many of the same tests used to diagnose the kidney mass. A healthy lifestyle can be of value. If you use tobacco now, try to stop. Try to limit your alcohol intake and to eat a balanced diet. Exercise and try to keep your weight within recommended limits.

This web site has been optimized for user experience and security, therefore Internet Explorer IE is not a recommended browser. Thank you. Urology A-Z Kidney Cancer. What is Kidney Cancer? What is the Purpose of our Kidneys? Our kidneys serve many purposes, but they mainly do the following: Detoxify clean our blood Balance fluids Maintain electrolyte levels e.

The main classes of tumors are: Renal cell carcinomas RCC. These are the most common malignant kidney tumors. They are found in main substance of the kidney, where the filtering occurs. RCC may form as a single tumor within a kidney or as two or more tumors in one kidney. Benign kidney tumors. There are about nine named tumors in this class. Some can grow quite large but they are almost always non-cancerous and do not spread to other organs. This means the body can function with less than 1 complete kidney.

With dialysis, a mechanized filtering process, it is possible to live without functioning kidneys. Kidney cancer begins when healthy cells in 1 or both kidneys change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a renal cortical tumor. A tumor can be malignant, indolent, or benign. A malignant tumor is cancerous, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. An indolent tumor is also cancerous, but this type of tumor rarely spreads to other parts of the body.

A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. Renal cell carcinoma. There are thousands of these tiny filtration units in each kidney. The treatment options for renal cell carcinoma are discussed later in this guide. Urothelial carcinoma. This is also called transitional cell carcinoma.

Urothelial carcinoma begins in the area of the kidney where urine collects before moving to the bladder, called the renal pelvis. This type of kidney cancer is treated like bladder cancer because both types of cancer begin in the same cells that line the renal pelvis and bladder.

Sarcoma of the kidney is rare. This type of cancer develops in the soft tissue of the kidney; the thin layer of connective tissue surrounding the kidney, called the capsule; or surrounding fat. Sarcoma of the kidney is usually treated with surgery. However, sarcoma commonly comes back in the kidney area or spreads to other parts of the body. More surgery or chemotherapy may be recommended after the first surgery.

Wilms tumor. Wilms tumor is most common in children and is treated differently from kidney cancer in adults. This type of tumor is more likely to be successfully treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy than the other types of kidney cancer when combined with surgery. This has resulted in a different approach to treatment. Lymphoma can enlarge both kidneys and is associated with enlarged lymph nodes, called lymphadenopathy, in other parts of the body, including the neck, chest, and abdominal cavity.

In rare cases, kidney lymphoma can appear as a lone tumor mass in the kidney and may include enlarged regional lymph nodes. If lymphoma is a possibility, your doctor may perform a biopsy see Diagnosis and recommend chemotherapy instead of surgery. Knowing which type of cell makes up a kidney tumor helps doctors plan treatment. Pathologists have identified more than 30 different types of kidney cancer cells.

A pathologist is a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease. Computed tomography CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging MRI see Diagnosis cannot always show the difference between benign, indolent, or malignant renal cortical tumors before surgery.

The most common types of kidney cancer cells are listed below. In general, the grade of a tumor refers to the degree of differentiation of the cells, not how fast they grow.

Differentiation describes how much the cancer cells look like healthy cells. The higher the grade, the more likely the cells are to spread or metastasize over time.