Kidney Cancer Care

Kidney Cancer Symptoms

There are two main types of kidney cancer:

• Renal cell cancer is the most common and accounts for about 90% of cancerous tumors. It starts in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney. Smoking puts adults at increased risk of developing kidney cancer. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, being obese, and using certain pain medications.
• Wilms tumor is a rare type of kidney cancer that develops mostly in young children.

Kidney cancer does not usually cause symptoms early on. In the later stages, signs of kidney cancer can include blood in the urine, low back pain that won’t go away, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, chronic fatigue and intermittent fevers.

Even though these symptoms are more often caused by conditions that are not cancer, you should still see your doctor if you notice anything unusual.

Kidney Cancer Detection and Diagnosis

Currently, no routine screening tests exist for kidney cancer, and the disease can be hard to detect early unless patients seek help for symptoms caused by other kidney issues. Tumors are also difficult to detect because they can grow quite large before causing discomfort or pain.

Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may want to perform certain diagnostic tests, such as:

• Blood and urine tests
• CT scans, a diagnostic imaging procedure that combines X-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images, also called slices, of the kidneys and other organs, bones, muscle or tissue
• Ultrasound, which uses sound waves to create a picture of the kidneys, as well as solid tumors and cysts

Kidney Cancer Treatment at Beaufort Memorial

If you have a kidney cancer diagnosis, rest assured we will work to find the best specialists to meet your needs. Our team helps coordinate care with local and regional experts who are with you throughout your treatment.

Kidney cancer treatment options may include surgery to remove the cancerous part of the kidney (partial nephrectomy) using the da Vinci surgical system. This minimally invasive system allows your surgeon to perform a more precise operation that often results in significantly less pain, a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery.

Read more about kidney cancer treatment at Beaufort Memorial.

Total Support for Your Journey

We’re committed to caring for the whole you and providing the resources you and your loved ones need to manage a cancer diagnosis. You’ll find a full range of cancer support services, from nutritional counseling to support groups and lymphedema prevention. You’ll also have your own nurse navigator and social worker to help guide you along your journey.