Kidney cancer is a serious health condition, where cancerous cells form in the tissues of a person’s kidney. Data shows a significant increase in the incidence of kidney cancer, though the reasons for this are not clear.
There are different types of kidney cancer than affect people and some of them are a lot more common than the others.
Grownups are a lot more likely to develop kidney cancer than children are. Given below are the different types of kidney cancer in adults -
Almost 85% of all malignant kidney tumors are diagnosed as RCC. In this condition, the malignant cells develop in the lining of the kidney tubules, where they grow into a tumor. The tumor starts off small and grows larger as time passes. Usually, RCC grows as one single mass, but there are instances where multiple tumors are present the kidney.
With most types of kidney cancer, early detection improves the chances for survival and this applies to renal cancer too. In the past this condition was not detected until it reached the advanced stages and the patient experienced painful symptoms. Today, RCC cases are usually detected when a patient goes through physical exams and imaging tests for other conditions.
Renal cancer can be further divided into five main types, which include -Of these, Clear cell cancer is the most common type of RCC found in people. The treatment for all types of renal cancer is the same.
The cancer of the renal pelvis (the junction of the kidney and ureter) is known as Transitional Cell Cancer (TCC). This type of cancer is not very common and can account for around 5% to 10% of all kidney cancers. The risks of this type of cancer are higher in those who smoke or are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals regularly.
This is a fairly rare type of kidney cancer, accounting for less than 1% of all kidney tumors. Renal sarcoma starts in the connective tissue of the kidneys.
Children are not very likely to develop kidney cancer, but in case they do, it is probably a type of cancer called Wilm’s Tumor or Nephroblastomas. About 95% instances of kidney cancer in children are diagnosed as Wilm’s Tumor. This condition usually affects children who are below the age of 5. Only in rare instances does Wim’s Tumor develop in adults or older children.
The risk factors of Wilm’s tumor are still not clear, but it is believed that certain syndromes and birth defects can increase a child’s chances of developing this disease. In fact, the tumors may develop when the child is still in the mother’s womb, though the symptoms become evident after the baby is born. Most children suffering from this condition stand a good chance of recovery after going through treatment.
Almost all patients who have been diagnosed with kidney cancer will be asked to undergo surgery as the initial stage of the treatment. The two different types of kidney cancer surgery that can be suggested –
In case surgery is not an option, the doctor may recommend cryo-ablation or radiofrequency ablation. In most cases, the surgery is followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.