| Kidneys are very important and complex organs | | | | those above 60 years old. Smoking also increases |
| in our bodies. Their primary function is to keep | | | | the chance that you will develop cancer in your |
| the bodily fluids, which include the blood and the | | | | kidney. Your weight also plays a major role - |
| urine, in equilibrium by constantly screening, | | | | those who are above average weight have more |
| cleansing and filtering these fluids inside our bodies. | | | | chances of developing kidney cancer as well. |
| These screening, cleansing and filtering actions are | | | | Having high blood pressure also increases the risk |
| very important in keeping our bodies healthy and | | | | of getting renal cell carcinoma, but the reason |
| if something should happen to these kidneys, our | | | | why this is so is still unknown. Heredity also plays |
| bodies can be seriously affected. Like all other | | | | a role in this as well. |
| organs in our bodies, our kidneys can develop | | | | Kidney cancer is diagnosed through various |
| kidney cancer. | | | | methods. One method is through an ultrasound |
| The most common type of kidney cancer in | | | | where high-frequency sound waves are used to |
| adults is known as renal cell carcinoma. Renal cell | | | | generate images of internal organs. CT and MRI |
| carcinoma begins in the small cells that line the | | | | scans are also used to look for kidney cancer. CT |
| tubes within our kidneys. This type of cancer is | | | | scans use computers to generate better images |
| generally a single mass but can also have many | | | | of internal organs than x-rays scan and MRI scans |
| tumors. The most common form of kidney | | | | use magnetic fields and radio waves to generate |
| cancer in children is known as Wilms' tumor. The | | | | pictures of our bodies. |
| other type of kidney cancer is the transitional cell | | | | Kidney cancer rarely causes obvious symptoms in |
| carcinoma. This form of cancer starts in the | | | | the early stages. In the later stages, the |
| tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. In | | | | symptoms for kidney cancer includes blood in |
| the USA alone, around 51,000 people are | | | | urine, back pain below the ribs, weight loss, fatigue |
| diagnosed with kidney cancer each year and this | | | | and fever. If you have any of these symptoms, |
| number is increasing. | | | | it is important that you visit your doctor early. |
| There are several risk factors when dealing with | | | | Your doctor will be able to assess whether you |
| kidney cancer. Men are more likely to get renal | | | | need to undergo certain scans to see if you do in |
| cell carcinoma than women. As you get older the | | | | fact have kidney cancer. |
| risk of getting kidney cancer increases, especially | | | | |