Kidney cancer is one of the cancers that may or may not cause kidney cancer symptoms in the initial stages of the condition. This makes early detection and a good prognosis difficult. Be aware, and do not ignore these kidney cancer symptoms.
Kidney cancer is a result of your kidney cells becoming malignant (cancerous). These cells then begin growing abnormally out of proportion to form a stubborn tumor. The medical term for this disease is ‘renal cell carcinoma’. In most cases, kidney cancers appear in the minute tubes of the kidney. The good news is that if detected at an earlier stage, before the cancer has metastasized (spread) to other organs, the chances of successful surgical treatments are much higher. However it is also true that the exact cause of this disease is unknown. This means that a very important piece of this Big C puzzle is missing. Added to this, there are little to no kidney cancer symptoms in the early stages. Furthermore there are some kidney cancer symptoms that you may mistake for signs of other conditions. Keep an eye out for these kidney cancer symptoms, and do not delay seeking help from a doctor at the earliest if you notice one or more of these symptoms.
- Weight loss
The clue is to notice any kind of unexplained weight loss. If you have not changed your diet or appetite recently, but are still experiencing a drastic weight loss (about 5 to 10 percent of overall body weight), get off the weighing scale and get to your doctor to check for signs of kidney cancer symptoms or other conditions.
- Intermittent fever
If you keep getting fever that lasts for a long time, and that has not been caused by any other infection such as cold, flu or any other disease, it may be one of the elusive kidney cancer symptoms.
- Excessive pain in the back or side
One of the kidney cancer symptoms is a constant pain in the back especially below the rib cage area that refuses to ease completely in spite of medication.
- Blood while urinating
This condition is also called hematuria. It is also the most prominent symptom of kidney cancer where the color of your urine changes color to pink or red owing to traces of blood in the urine. However, blood in the urine may not always be a direct sign for kidney cancer (it could be a result of any infection or even kidney stones). Often the blood is not even visible to the naked eye, and a urine test may be required to confirm the condition. If you notice a few of the other kidney cancer symptoms, check with your physician about the need for a urine test.
- Anemia
Deficiency of red blood cells or of hemoglobin can also be a symptom of kidney cancer. This results in weariness and pale skin.
- Excessive fatigue
Another one of the kidney cancer symptoms, you may be faced with the constant feeling of tiredness and exhaustion while doing tasks that once used to be easy to do.
- Lump in the abdomen
If there is a lump or a mass observed around the kidney area, it is important to see a doctor at the earliest. Such a lump is generally detected through an ultrasound scan, which is the reason why in most cases of kidney cancer, diagnosis is reported to individuals who have had an x-ray or an ultra-sound for a totally different reason.
- Increasing blood pressure
Hypertension or high blood pressure is also a symptom of kidney cancer. This condition is common among people of older age.
It is important to understand that these are just are just a few of the commonly seen symptoms of kidney cancer, yet the same symptoms could also mean the presence of other diseases or illnesses. In either case, these are not symptoms that you should ignore. So if you have any of these symptoms then it is essential to seek medical help with immediate effect. The prognosis of kidney cancer largely depends on the stage at which the condition is diagnosed and treated. Early diagnosis is key to a good prognosis. Keep an eye out for these kidney cancer symptoms and do not delay seeking medical attention if you see one or more of these symptoms persisting over a long time.