Kidney cancer is also known as renal cell carcinoma. This cancer involves the abnormal growth in the kidneys. Primarily occurring in adults, Kidney cancer is most common in people between the ages of 50 and 70. The exact cause of renal cell carcinoma is not known but there are factors that leave you vulnerable to this form of cancer.
Some of these factors include:
Surgery is often the recommended course of treatment in kidney cancer.
This surgery is called nephrectomy and doctors remove part of the organ or the entire organ affected by the cancer. Sometimes, adjacent organs are also removed if the cancer has spread.
Occasionally some cancer treatment is given after the kidney surgery.
Patients are sometimes given hormone treatments and chemotherapy.
Hormone treatments are given to retard additional growth. This method has sometimes reduced the size of the tumors. Chemotherapy is also given but if the cancer has spread to organs beyond the kidney, this treatment rarely works. Chemotherapy and radiation have not shown much progress on kidney cancer.
For the first few days after the kidney cancer surgery, recovery is closely monitored. A nephrectomy is a major surgery and depending on the spread of the cancer, many muscles are cut open to access the kidneys.
After day 5 or 6, subject to no additional complications, you will be put on milder pain medications. Exercise becomes very important at this point. Exercise ensures no blood clots are formed, along with improving the respiratory function. After day 4, you will also be given solid food which is a big step towards healing your body. Total recovery including the rebuilding of muscles takes about 3 months.
Kidneys are important organs for the body. Often a kidney cancer surgery results in complications in recovery. The cancer surgery can lead to liver problems. Health complications like high red blood count, high calcium count in the blood along with high blood pressure. One of the most common and dire complications post kidney surgery for cancer, is the further spread of cancer.
The main kidney cancer surgery can cost about $60,000 but this figure can vary depending on how invasive your surgery needs to be coupled with how much post-surgery care you might need. You would need to check with your insurance company how much they will pay.
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