Kidney Cancer Symptoms

Kidney Cancer Symptoms - Common symptoms of kidney cancer include:

1. Blood in the urine (making the urine slightly rusty red or red inside)
2. Pain in the side that is not lost
3. A lump or mass on the side or stomach
4. Weight loss
5. Fever
6. Feeling very tired or have an overall feeling of poor health.
Most often, these symptoms does not mean cancer. An infection, a cyst, or another problem also could cause similar symptoms. A person with these symptoms should see a doctor so that any problem can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

Diagnosing Kidney Cancer

If a patient has symptoms that suggest kidney cancer, doctors may perform one or more of the following procedures:

1. Physical examination: The doctor checks general signs of health and tests for fever and high blood pressure. Doctors also feel (palpate) the abdomen and waist to tumors.

2. Urine tests: Urine is checked for blood and other signs of disease.

3. Blood tests: The lab checks the blood to see how well the kidneys are working. The lab may check the level of some compounds, such as creatinine. A high creatinine level may mean the kidneys are not doing their job.

4. Intravenous pyelogram (IVP): The doctor injects dye (dye) into a vein in the arm. The dye travels through the body and collects in the kidneys. The dye makes them visible on x-rays. A series of x-rays and then track the dye as it moves through the kidneys to the ureters and bladder. X-rays can show a kidney tumor or other problems.

5. CT scan (CAT scan): An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of the kidneys. Patients may receive an injection of dye so the kidneys show up clearly in the pictures. A CT scan can show a kidney tumor.

6. Ultrasound tests: ultrasound device uses sound waves that people can not hear. Wave-gelombag bounce off the kidneys, and a computer uses the echoes to create a picture called a sonogram. A solid tumor or cyst that shows up on a sonogram.

7. Biopsy: In some cases, doctors may do a biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of tissue to look for cancer cells. The doctor inserts a thin needle through the skin into the kidney to remove a small amount of tissue. Your doctor may use ultrasound or x-rays to guide the needle. A pathologist uses a microscope to find cancer cells in the network.

8. Operation: In most cases, based on the results of CT scans, ultrasound, and x-rays, doctors have enough information to recommend surgery to remove part or all of the kidney. A pathologist makes the final diagnosis by examining tissue under a microscope.