What is the kidney function?

All of our blood passes through the kidneys. Our kidneys function as a blood purification. They are part of the urinary tract. Through the urinary tract leaving the waste ultimately our bodies.

In the Netherlands each year more than 1,500 people found kidney cancer. It is slightly more common in men than in women and especially in people between 60 and 75 years. The most common type of kidney cancer is called renal cell carcinoma. In this text, the other less common types of kidney cancer is not discussed.

Possible causes?

On the causes is still poorly understood. It is known that people who smoke and / or overweight have an increased risk of kidney cancer have. Smokers have 2 to 3 times as likely to get kidney cancer compared to non-smokers.

There are certain forms of this disease hereditary, these are not uncommon. Only 2 percent of all people who have kidney cancer, there is a hereditary form.

How can you recognize?

In most cases a renal tumor in the beginning of symptoms, making it difficult to determine kidney cancer. Complaints that it can occur (but not necessarily indicative of kidney cancer):

    blood in urine
    prolonged fatigue for no reason
    persistent fever
    general feeling of apathy
    pain in kidney area
    Weight Loss

If your doctor suspects you have kidney cancer, he will probably physical examination and blood and urine examinations.

With the urine test to see whether some substances in it and if there is blood in the urine. With the blood test operation and the condition of your kidneys are measured.

GP may refer you to the urologist. Often the urologist performing the same survey again. He can also choose to do additional research. The additional scrutiny usually starts with an ultrasound. With a kidney ultrasound can clearly be visualized and can be any tumor is seen.

If the ultrasound is not sufficient clarity, other studies (CT scan, MRI, IVP or cytoscopie) do this. Since an ultrasound is usually sufficient, is not discussed further in the other studies.

What is there to do?

Depending on the stage, one chooses to treat in order to heal, or cure the disease is no longer possible as much as possible inhibitors and / or to reduce the complaints.

Operate

The tumor can be surgically removed. For smaller tumors, it is sometimes possible for the rest of the kidney to spare. Healing is only possible if no metastases.

Immunotherapy / Chemotherapy

The goal is to strengthen the defenses of the body (immune system). Treatment is usually aimed at the number of metastases to decline.

Radiation

With radiation to destroy cancer cells attempts.

The course of the disease and the stage someone is to determine what can be done and what you expect. Your doctor can tell you more about.