Kidney cancer is one of the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) top ten most common cancers. It projects there will be 58,240 new cases of kidney cancer and 13,040 deaths from this disease. Although this disease often strikes smokers and people who abuse over-the-counter analgesics, it can appear for no apparent reason. Survival rates are often quite favorable if promptly diagnosed and treated.
Types
The NCI reports that there are several different types of kidney cancer. These include renal cell carcinoma, renal pelvis carcinoma and Wilms' tumor.
These different types of cancer are differentiated on the basis of where they initially form. For instance, renal cell carcinoma affects the linings of the renal tubules. According the "Merck Manual," it accounts for "90 to 95 percent of primary malignant renal tumors." Renal pelvis carcinoma is also called transitional cell cancer. The "Merck Manual" says it accounts for "7 to 15 percent of all kidney tumors."
Wilms' tumor is a kidney cancer that occurs in children under age 5. The "Merck Manual" says that this tumor accounts for 6 percent of all childhood cancers.
Symptoms
Symptoms of kidney cancer include blood in the urine, a lump in the abdomen, pain in the back or side, loss of appetite, anemia or weight loss for no apparent reason. Wilms' tumors may get quite large before any symptoms appear. Often the first symptom is a large, palpable mass. According to Mayoclinic.com, other symptoms may include "fever, blood in the urine, reduced appetite, high blood pressure, constipation, stomach pain and nausea."
Treatment
The standard treatment for all kidney tumors is surgical resection. Surgical resection involves complete or partial nephrectomy, or removal of the affected kidney. According to statistics from the NCI, partial nephrectomy has increased in popularity as of 2010 without any negative impact on survival rates.
Prognosis
According to the NCI, a majority of patients with renal cell carcinoma are diagnosed when the disease is in an early stage. This early diagnosis is reflected in the relatively high 5-year survival rate of 40 percent. There are well-documented cases of spontaneous tumor regression. This rare occurrence is poorly understood, but it does provide hope for patients with advanced disease.
The NCI also reports that most transitional cells carcinomas of the renal pelvis can be cured if found early.
As of 2002, the NCI calculates that relative 5-year survival rates for all forms of kidney cancer, excluding Wilms Tumor, as 68.8 percent. UptoDate.com reports that the 5-year survival rate for Wilms' tumor is 90 percent.
Experimental Approaches
Researchers at the NCI have been exploring treatments for advanced disease based upon stem cell donations. This approach has shown remarkable success thus far. The NCI reports that the disease can be "completely or partially reversed in some patients." This research is very different from other stem cell approaches such as those that are used in bone marrow transplants. In this instance, stem cells from a donor are used to induce an immune response against the tumor.
References
- Naitonal Cancer Institute: Kidney Cancer Treatment
- National Cancer Institute: Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results
- Up to Date: Treatment and Prognosis of Wilms Tumor
- National Cancer Institute: Regression of Advanced Kidney Cancer Seen with Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation
- Mayoclinic.com: Wilms Tumor
