Kidney cancer: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

SUMMARY :

Kidney cancer: what symptoms?
Kidney cancer: how is the diagnosis made?
Kidney cancer: what risk factors?
Kidney cancer: what are the treatments?
Is kidney cancer curable?

the kidney cancer is one of the cancers whose treatment has evolved the most in recent years. Affecting mainly men, it is characterized by the development of malignant tumors on the kidneyorgan partly responsible for filtering the blood. “The majority of kidney cancers are discovered by chance, on ultrasound or scanner”says Dr. Bernard Escudier, oncologist at the Gustave Roussy Institute, specializing in cancer.

Typically, kidney cancer is cancer with a good prognosis : it heals well in most cases. Post-cure follow-up is still necessary, however, to avoid any form of recurrence.

Kidney cancer: what symptoms?

For a long time, kidney cancer may not cause any symptoms. Kidney cancer then only causes symptoms once the tumor is large, at a advanced stage of the disease.

The most advanced symptoms of kidney cancer are:

The presence of blood in the urine repeatedly;
From pain on the side of the stomach ;
A weightloss and a decrease in general health.

Kidney cancer: how is the diagnosis made?

“60 to 70% of kidney cancers are discovered by chance, on ultrasound or scanner. They are tumors without symptoms”, says Dr. Bernard Escudier. Alternatively, once bleeding is seen in the urine, it is possible to perform an ultrasoundto check the condition of his kidneys.

Much more rarely, kidney cancer can be diagnosed by feeling a lumpat the doctor for example. “In 5 to 10% of cases, kidney cancer is the cause of metastases and therefore of symptoms linked to these metastases: fractures or pain in the bones, difficulty breathing, coughing…”details the oncologist.

Kidney cancer: what risk factors?

be a man could be a primary risk factor for kidney cancer. “Among the diagnosed cases, there are two thirds of men for one third of women“, explains Doctor Bernard Escudier. And this can be explained in particular by the consumption of tobacco. “Women generally smoke less than men, although this may be changing“, he continues.

Having high blood pressure could be a triggering factor for kidney cancer, withobesity. Age could also be responsible for the onset of the disease: “Cancer is a disease of the sixties, the average age is 58-59 years old“, explains the oncologist.

Finally, certain exposures to petroleum products could trigger the onset of the disease. “It is not formally proven, but people working in factories and exposed to products like chloroethylene – an odorless and colorless gas – may increase the risk of kidney cancer“, ends the specialist.

Kidney cancer: what are the treatments?

Treatments change depending on the type of kidney cancer. If the patient suffers from a localized form of the disease and without metastasis, surgery remains the reference treatment. “For the past 20 years, we no longer remove the whole kidney, but only the part affected by the tumor.“, says Bernard Escudier. In some cases, less invasive methods such as radiofrequency or cryotherapy – where a needle is planted in the tumor – will be preferred.

In the case of more advanced tumours, the European Medicines Agency recommends treatment with immunotherapy to limit the risk of relapse.

Finally, when metastases have already developed, certain treatments are effective, such as antiangiogenic drugs. Metastases will be sensitive to this treatment born in the early 2000s, which attacks them on all fronts. Immunotherapy also works. “This treatment involves restoring the ability of the immune system to destroy cancer cells“, explains Bernard Escudier.

Is kidney cancer curable?

In general, this cancer can be treated well, if it is localized, and better than before. Corn the risk of recurrence still exists, hence the need for a regular check-up for at least five years, even throughout his life. “In the case of high-risk tumors, the risk of relapse is 30-35%“, indicates the specialist.

And there is also progress in the management of serious cases, even if progress still remains to be made. “At the beginning of the 90s, the average life with metastases was one year, today we exceed 4 and a half or even 5 years.“, rejoices Dr. Escudier.

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