Renal cell carcinoma

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Kidney anatomy

Kidney tumor - CT scan

Kidney metastases, CT scan

Kidney - blood and urine flow

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Renal cell carcinoma

Alternative Names:

Renal cancer; Kidney cancer; Hypernephroma; Adenocarcinoma of renal cells; Cancer - kidney

Symptoms:

Blood in the urine
Abnormal urine color (dark, rusty, or brown)
Flank pain
Back pain
Abdominal pain
Unintentional weight loss of more than 5% of body weight
Emaciated, thin, malnourished appearance
Enlargement of one testicle
Swelling or enlargement of the abdomen

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

Signs and tests:

Palpation of the abdomen may show a mass or organ enlargement, particularly of the kidney or liver. There may be a testicular varicocele in men.

Complete blood count (CBC)
Urine test may show red blood cells
Serum calcium levels may be high
SGPT and alkaline phosphatase may be high
A urine cytology
Liver function tests
An ultrasound of the abdomen and kidney
Kidney x-ray
IVP
Renal arteriography

The following tests may be performed to see if the cancer has spread:

An abdominal CT scan may show a liver mass.
Abdominal MRI can determine if the cancer has spread to any surrounding blood vessels and whether it can be surgically removed.
A chest x-ray may show mass in the chest.
A bone scan may show involvement of the bones.

References:

US Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves New Treatment for Advanced Kidney Cancer. Rockville, MD: National Press Office; December 20, 2005. Press Release P05-107.

Review Date: 12/21/2005
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial. Previously reviewed by Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Hematology/Oncology, The University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.