Kidney and Renal-Cell Cancer

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Cyberknife VSI Robotic Radiosurgery Treatment for Kidney Cancer & Renal Cell Cancer

Kidney cancer is cancer that originates in the kidneys. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They’re located behind your abdominal organs, with one kidney on each side of your spine.

In adults, the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma. Other less common types of kidney cancer can occur. Transitional cell carcinoma, which affects the ureters, can also begin in the kidneys. Children are more likely to develop a kind of kidney cancer called Wilms’ tumor.

The incidence of kidney cancer seems to be increasing, though it isn’t clear why. Many kidney cancers are detected during procedures for other diseases or conditions. Imaging techniques such as computerized tomography (CT) are being used more often, which may lead to the discovery of more kidney cancers.

Causes of Kidney Cancer

It’s not clear what causes renal cell carcinoma. Doctors know that kidney cancer begins when some kidney cells acquire mutations in their DNA. The mutations tell the cells to grow and divide rapidly. The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor that can extend beyond the kidney. Some cells can break off and spread (metastasize) to distant parts of the body.

Symptoms of Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer rarely causes signs or symptoms in its early stages. In the later stages, kidney cancer signs and symptoms may include:

• Blood in your urine, which may appear pink, red or cola colored
• Back pain just below the ribs that doesn’t go away
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Intermittent fever

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Risk Factors

Factors that can increase the risk of kidney cancer include:

• Older age. Your risk of kidney cancer increases as you age.
• Being male. Men are more likely to develop kidney cancer.
• Smoking. Smokers have a greater risk of kidney cancer than nonsmokers do. The risk decreases after you quit.
• Obesity. People who are obese have a higher risk of kidney cancer than do people who are considered average weight.
• High blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure increases your risk of kidney cancer, but it isn’t clear why.
• Chemicals in your workplace. Workers who are exposed to certain chemicals on the job may have a higher risk of kidney cancer. People who work with chemicals such as asbestos and cadmium may have an increased risk of kidney cancer.
• Treatment for kidney failure. People who receive long-term dialysis to treat chronic kidney failure have a greater risk of developing kidney cancer.
• Von Hippel-Lindau disease. People with this inherited disorder are likely to develop several kinds of tumors, including, in some cases, kidney cancer.
• Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma. Having this inherited condition makes it more likely you’ll develop one or more kidney cancers.

Compassionate Care Travel Assistance Program:

Offered Exclusively By Colorado CyberKnife.

We are setting the standard for compassionate care.
Colorado CyberKnife will cover air travel and lodging within the cost of treatment.*

Our goal is to help patients focus on their education and clinical decision making with their Physician Specialists by alleviating the anxiety insurance and other financial factors can add to this trying time.

Please inquire about our Compassionate Care Travel Assistance Program.

*All patients with governmental insurance plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, TriCare, VA, DOD, etc excluded by law.