Kidney Tumors
Kidney cancer is 8th most common cancer. Around 2% of Americans will be diagnosed with kidney cancer at some point in their lives. Patients who smoke or are obese at are higher risk of developing kidney cancer.
Kidney cancer is most often found incidentally during imaging studies performed for other reasons. Some patients will present to their doctor with symptoms related to kidney cancer – these can include pain in the back/side, blood in the urine, a sense of abdominal fullness, and/or unexpected weight loss.
For small tumors, a procedure called partial nephrectomy can be performed, whereby the tumor is removed, leaving the healthy portion of the kidney unharmed. For larger or more complex tumors, radical nephrectomy (removal of the entire kidney) is often recommended. In the most advanced cases, chemotherapy or immunotherapy may be recommended.
In a small group of patients with small and early stage tumors, observation or ablation may be recommended. These methods are generally reserved for patients that are not candidates for surgical removal.
