Nearly 60,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2010, according to the National Cancer Institute. This form of cancer can affect one or both kidneys and can be difficult to detect during the early stage of disease. Patients who develop any of the early signs of kidney cancer should consult a physician for further evaluation and care.
No Early Signs
Patients with kidney cancer may not exhibit any detectable early signs of this disease, making it difficult for a doctor to diagnosis this condition. Older men who smoke, are overweight or have high blood pressure are at an increased risk of developing kidney cancer, warns MayoClinic.com. People who have questions or concerns regarding kidney cancer should seek further guidance from a medical professional.
Blood in the Urine
In healthy patients, the kidneys help flush toxins out of the bloodstream. These waste products are then excreted by the body as urine. When cancer cells begin to grow in the kidney, this organ can become irritated and inflamed. As a result, patients with kidney cancer can excrete small amount of blood within their urine, warns MedlinePlus, a website of the National Institutes of Health. The urine of affected patients can appear unusually dark, red or cloudy. A patient who develops blood within the urine should contact a doctor as soon as possible as this early sign of kidney cancer can also be a symptom of a kidney infection.
Fever or Weight Loss
Patients with kidney cancer can develop nonspecific signs of fever, decreased appetite and weight loss during the early stage of this disease. Recurrent fevers can be accompanied by sweating, chills and headache in certain patients. If these symptoms persist, affected patients should seek additional medical care. Fever and appetite changes can be signs of alternate medical problems, such as a common cold or the flu.
