Every year, nearly 8,500 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer, and more than 3,500 people die from the disease.
It affects twice as many men as women and is most common in middle-aged and older people, although there is an uncommon form (Wilms' tumour, also known as nephroblastoma) that affects very young children.
Please note: the information below does not constitute medical advice. If you have any concerns at all, speak to your GP or consultant.
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If you are worried about your urinary symptoms, download the My WaterWorks Medical app and fill in the questionnaire which can be presented to your GP.
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Kidney cancer occurs when cells begin to grow and divide abnormally, forming a lump, or tumour. Tumours can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumours do not spread to other parts of the body, although they can press on surrounding organs, affecting their function. Malignant tumours can spread. Sometimes cells break off from the original tumour and spread to other organs in the body through the blood stream or lymphatic system, growing new tumours there.
The underlying cause of kidney cancer is rarely discovered. Usually only one kidney is affected
Kidney cancer is often discovered by chance when a patient who has no symptoms has a scan or ultrasound for some other reason. Noticeable symptoms can include:
See your GP or consultant if you have any of these symptoms. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms, such as an infection or stones in the bladder or kidneys. Most people with the above symptoms will not have cancer of the kidney.
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Your GP will start with a physical examination, a urine test, and sometimes a blood test. You may then be referred to a hospital for further tests, such as:
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Treatment depends on a number of factors, including your general health, the type and size of the tumour and how far it has spread, if at all. The main treatment for cancer of the kidney is surgery, but radiotherapy and hormonal treatment are advised in some cases.
Speak to your GP if you recognise any kidney cancer symptoms, or if you want to talk about treatment options.
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Dr Sarah Welsh – Pioneering the latest treatments for kidney cancer
Sarah is using TUF funding to research the potential of a new drug she identified, called CL67. She is aiming to determine whether it could be used to slow the growth of kidney cancer.
Kidney cancers grow quickly because they are rich in blood vessels. This happens because the tumour cells express very high levels of a factor known as Hypoxia-inducible factor or HIF for short. HIF promotes the survival of cells and the growth of blood vessels, which is what gives kidney tumours such a dangerous blood supply.
When tumours have a good blood supply it helps the cancer to grow and to spread. Sarah is testing the CL67 drug so that it can be used to target the HIF complex and slow down kidney cancer growth. If it can be proved to work and be signed off for use on patients, it could have a profound impact on how we treat kidney cancer.
Ray Hsu – Getting the best support for kidney cancer patients
Ray, a clinical research fellow at the University of Cambridge, received funding from The Urology Foundation so that he could research the latest trend and service provision in surgical treatment of kidney cancer. His aim is to find the best possible treatment for patients across the UK.
Recently, there is increasing trend in centralising complex operations to specific centres, including operations for kidney cancer. This means bringing patients to a specific hospital in their region where kidney cancer surgery is performed. The idea behind this is that practice makes perfect, so with such a high volume of patients coming through their doors, these hospitals are more likely to offer patients improved outcomes.
Ray’s research is looking to find out whether this theory works in practice. Retaining services at local hospitals offers patients more convenient care and follow up, at the same time provide greater experience and exposure for urologists and trainees. It is therefore important to fully understand the benefits of centralising operations before it is implemented.
His aim is to inform policy makers so that they can make an informed decision about where these surgeries should be taking place. His research could make a profound difference to everyone who has kidney cancer.
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All of the work that we do to fight urology disease is funded by supporters across the country. Without support from people like you, we cannot do what we do.
When you donate to The Urology Foundation you join the front line of the fight against urology disease. Your money helps us to:
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