The human body goes about its work without calling a lot of attention to what it is doing. Every once in a while, it gives a sign that something isn’t working quite right. A person may suddenly get a fever or discover that there is blood in the urine. These are two common kidney cancer symptoms that can often be mistaken for other conditions.
When visiting a doctor because of suspicious symptoms, it is important for him to know if the patient is at risk of getting kidney cancer. Some common risk factors include having undergone long-term dialysis, a family history of kidney cancer, smoking or being exposed to second-hand smoke and occupational exposure to chemicals or hazardous waste.
Once the risks have been assessed, the patient often undergoes a physical exam in order to discover any other possible kidney cancer symptoms. It is important to inform the doctor of any excessive, unexplained weight loss, consistent pain in the side or lower back, the presence of lumps in the abdomen or a general sense of being unwell. Doctors often check for high blood pressure and swelling of the lower extremities.
If a patient history and physical exam provide enough cause for further tests, a doctor often recommends blood and urine tests. Kidney cancer symptoms found by these tests often include unexplained rises in the level of certain substances like creatinine, which is filtered by the kidneys. If something is preventing the kidneys from filtering properly, doctors will want to perform further testing.
Additional testing including ultrasounds, computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans may become necessary if the previous results indicate the possibility of kidney cancer. A biopsy is an examination of tissues or liquids from the living body to determine the existence or cause of a disease. This is often done by extracting cells using a long needle. Biopsies can tell if a mass is cancerous or benign.
If kidney cancer symptoms and subsequent testing determines that a patient does, in fact, have kidney cancer, the doctor will advise a treatment plan. Treatment for kidney cancer can range from radiation therapy and surgery to chemotherapy and immunological therapy or a combination of treatments.
Seeing the possible symptoms of kidney cancer can be a frightening experience. More information can be found at www.attack-kidney-cancer.com. It is important to remember that many of the symptoms that can indicate kidney cancer can also indicate something as simple as a cyst or an infection. Whatever the cause of any symptom, it is always best to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.