Kidney Cancer: Types, Diagnosis, and Surgical Treatment
What is Kidney Cancer?
Kidney cancer is identified with abnormal cell growth in the kidney tissue. These cells may grow to form a mass (called a tumor). Cancer usually begins when something triggers a change in the cells, causing them to divide out of control.
Types of Kidney Cancers
There are different types of kidney cancers. These are as follows:
- Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) – The most common of all kidney cancers, it has further sub-types such as Clear Cell RCC, Papillary RCC and Chromophobe RCC.
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma (Urothelial Carcinoma) – These develop in the lining of the renal pelvis, thus behaving like bladder cancer.
- Renal Sarcoma – A very rare cancer, this starts in the kidneys’ connective or blood vessel tissue.
- Wilms Tumor – A rare cancer that mostly affects young children.
- Rare/Aggressive Kidney Cancers such as Collecting Duct Carcinoma or Renal Medullary Carcinoma.
- Benign (Non-Cancerous) Kidney Tumors – Non-cancerous in nature, these do not metastasize (spread) to other parts or organs of the body.
Kidney cancer may not show any noticeable symptoms at first but as the tumor begins to grow, they start appearing. Common signs and symptoms include – blood in urine, lump in kidney area, tiredness or fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, pain in bones, high BP etc.
While the exact cause of kidney cancer is not universal, there are certain risk factors that may increase the chances of getting the disease. Lifestyle factors like excessive use of tobacco and alcohol, obesity, or health conditions like high BP; family history or gene mutations are certain other factors that cause risk for kidney cancer.
Diagnosis & Treatment of Kidney Cancer
Once the diagnosis is obtained after urinalysis, blood tests, CT scan, ultrasound and MRI, a treatment plan is laid out for the patient. Like most cancers, chemotherapy, radiation, clinical trials or targeted medicines are options.
Surgical treatment options may be considered for the removal of tumor or cancer affected areas –
- Partial Nephrectomy – The part of the kidney containing the tumor is surgically removed along with margins of the surrounding tissues. It is also known as kidney-sparing surgery because it preserves the remaining kidney, removing only the tumor part.
- Radical Nephrectomy – This is performed when the tumor is relatively larger and more central in size. It involves removing the entire kidney, along with the adrenal glands, surrounding tissues and affected lymph nodes. Removal of one kidney does not stop the body’s filtration function; the other kidney does the job for most part.
Other minimally invasive local therapies may include thermal ablation which is performed when surgery is not suitable:
- Cryoablation – A needle is inserted inside the kidney tumor to freeze the cancer cells with cold gas.
- Radiofrequency Ablation – A needle is inserted to pass electrical signals and destroy the cancer cells through heat.
Best Hospital for Treatment of Kidney Cancer
Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital & Cancer Institutes, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad, has some of the best oncologists to treat patients with kidney cancer.
Dr. (Brig.) Arvind Kumar Tyagi is one of the most celebrated Ex-Indian Army Onco-Surgeons with over three decades of experience. At Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital & Cancer Institutes, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad, he is the Director of Surgical Oncology & Robotic Surgery.
Dr. (Maj. Gen.) B.N. Kapur, one of the best oncologists in Delhi NCR, is the Director of Medical Oncology with us at Yashoda Hospital, Sanjay Nagar. He is skilled in treating solid organ cancer and also specializes in treatment of blood and blood-related disorders using chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy treatment modalities.
Dr. (Col.) N. Chakravarty, Director, Radiation Oncology at Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital & Cancer Institutes, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad comes with a massive experience of three decades in the field. Having served in the army, he comes with a valuable experience of dealing with cancer patients and is one of the best radiation oncologists in the country. His efforts and expertise have also led him to be bestowed with the honour of being the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Commendation.
For appointments, please reach out to us on our helpline numbers – 9810709038, 0120-4612000.
