Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer

kidney cancer, renal cell cancer, cancer treatment, targeted therapy kidney
kidney cancer, renal cell cancer, cancer treatment, targeted therapy kidney

Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer

Kidney cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the kidney tissue, eventually forming a mass called a tumor. This type of cancer begins when something triggers genetic changes in kidney cells, causing them to divide faster than normal. If left untreated, the cancerous (malignant) tumor can spread to other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis.

Who Is at Risk?

Kidney cancer most commonly affects people between the ages of 65 and 74. Men are 2 as likely as women to develop this disease.

Types of Kidney Cancer

All the cancers that begin in the kidneys are not the same. Several types of kidney cancer can act differently.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

It is the most common type of kidney cancer. About 9 out of 10 kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas. Although RCC usually grows as a single tumor within a kidney, sometimes a person can have more than one tumor in a kidney or even tumors in both kidneys at the same time.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma

It is the most common form of RCC. About 7 out of 10 people with RCC have this kind of cancer.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma

Nearly 1 in 10 RCCs have this type of cancer. These cancers form little finger-like projections (called papillae) in some, if not most, of the tumors.

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinomas

These comprise all subtypes that are not clear cell RCCs.

Rare subtypes of renal cell carcinoma: Several other subtypes each make up less than 1% of RCCs. These include:
  • Collecting duct RCC
  • Multilocular cystic RCC
  • Medullary carcinoma (renal medullary carcinoma)
  • Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma
  • Neuroblastoma-associated RCC

Kidney Cancer Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of developing a disease. While having one or more of these factors doesn’t mean you’ll get kidney cancer, it may raise your risk:
  • Smoking
  • Excess body weight (obesity)
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Family history of kidney cancer
  • Occupational exposure to certain chemicals (e.g., solvents)

Symptoms

In its early stages, kidney cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include:
  • Blood in the urine (may look pink, red, or cola-colored)
  • Loss of appetite
  • Persistent pain in the side or back
  • Fatigue or tiredness
  • Unexplained weight loss

Book an Appointment

Can Kidney Cancer Be Prevented?

There’s no guaranteed way to prevent kidney cancer, but you can lower your risk by adopting healthy lifestyle habits:

  • Avoid or limit alcohol consumption
  • Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables
  • Exercise regularly (aim for at least 30 minutes most days)
  • Quit smoking
  • Keep high blood pressure under control

Kidney cancer is most treatable when detected early, before it spreads beyond the kidney's outer layer. Early diagnosis often leads to a cure.

Common Queries

Frequently Asked Questions About Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer Treatment in Indore

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer, starting in the lining of the kidney's small filtering tubes. It is often found incidentally on scans.

Blood in urine, a lump or pain in the flank, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and fever. Many early kidney tumours cause no symptoms and are found on ultrasound.

Consult a specialist if you notice blood in urine, a kidney mass on ultrasound or CT, or lasting flank pain. Early evaluation widens treatment choices.

CT or MRI scans usually identify the tumour. A biopsy may be done in selected cases, and chest imaging and blood tests check whether the cancer has spread.

Stage I to IV depends on tumour size, spread into nearby veins or tissue, and distant spread. Stage guides surgery, drug therapy and follow-up.

Surgery, either partial or full removal of the kidney, is the main treatment for localised disease. Medical therapy is used when cancer is advanced or has spread.

Targeted drugs, such as VEGF inhibitors, block tumour blood supply and are used in advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma, often alongside or instead of immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has improved outcomes in advanced kidney cancer, often combined with targeted therapy. Your oncologist selects the combination based on risk category.

Renal cell carcinoma generally responds poorly to conventional chemotherapy. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy are the preferred systemic options in modern kidney cancer treatment.

Yes. A healthy remaining kidney usually compensates well. Regular monitoring of kidney function, blood pressure and avoiding harmful medicines are important.

High blood pressure, diarrhoea, fatigue, hand-foot skin reaction and thyroid changes can occur. Regular monitoring lets your doctor manage them early.

Recurrence is possible, especially in higher-stage disease, so scheduled follow-up scans are needed. Some patients may benefit from adjuvant therapy after surgery.

Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, long-term dialysis, certain inherited conditions and family history increase risk. Managing weight and blood pressure helps reduce it.

Contact Dr. Sunit Lokwani's clinic by phone or the online form. Please bring CT/MRI scans, ultrasound reports and any biopsy or surgery records.