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Kidney cancer

The kidneys are the organs that play a major role in the urinary system of the body cavity. They extract waste products and excess water from the blood and convert them into urine.

The urine is then passed to the urinary bladder via a narrow tube called the urethra which is connected to the kidneys. The kidneys also have other functions most of which are homeostatic in nature.

It helps in the regulation of blood pressure and also helps in the formation of the red blood cells.
They are however several diseases that can make the kidneys not to perform their functions properly. One of such diseases is the kidney cancer.

What Is Kidney Cancer?

Cells are a basic part of the body. They have the ability to divide and produce other cells as long and as much as the body needs. This process keeps the body healthy. However, when the cells create more cells without the body asking them to, a growth will emerge and this growth is called a tumor.

Tumors can be benign which is non cancerous or malignant, which signify the presence of cancer. Cancer can affect any part of the body and spread to other parts.

Kidney cancer occurs when cancer starts from the kidney and spread to other parts of the body. It should be noted that Metastasis cancer of the kidney is not the same as kidney cancer. Metastasis cancer of the kidney starts from other parts of the body and spreads to the kidneys.

Kidney cancer is categorized into two common types. These are the renal cell carcinoma and the transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. While transitional cell carcinoma occurs, it is not as common as the renal cell carcinoma.

The renal cell carcinoma, also known as hypernephroma, occurs when there is abnormal cell growth in the lining of the small tubes within the kidneys called the proximal convoluted tubules. These tubules help the kidneys to filter waste products.

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Kidney cancer types and location

How To Know You Have Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer is not often detected at their earlier stages. The more they develop, the more obvious they become.
One common sign to show the abnormal cell growth in the kidney is the hematuria, which is the presence of blood in the urine.
Sometimes the blood is not obvious but can only be detected with a microscope. The presence of a mass in the abdomen is also another indication.
This mass in some cases are not obvious Other signs include:
- fatigue,
- a rise in blood pressure,
- excessive sweating and fever,
- loss in appetite and a general feeling of unwell.

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