What causes kidney cancer

 Kidney cancer develops most often in people over 40, but no one knows the exact causes of
this disease. Doctors can seldom explain why one person develops kidney cancer and
another does not. However, it is clear that kidney cancer is not contagious. No one can
"catch" the disease from another person.

 Gender: Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with kidney cancer. Each year
in the United States, about 20,000 men and 12,000 women learn they have kidney cancer.
 High blood pressure: High blood pressure increases the risk of kidney cancer.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of kidney cancer include:

 Blood in the urine (making the urine slightly rusty to deep red)

 Pain in the side that does not go away

 A lump or mass in the side or the abdomen

 Weight loss

 Fever

 Feeling very tired or having a general feeling of poor health

 Physical exam: The doctor checks general signs of health and tests for fever and high blood
pressure. The doctor also feels the abdomen and side for tumors.
 Urine tests: Urine is checked for blood and other signs of disease.
 Blood tests: The lab checks the blood to see how well the kidneys are working. The lab may
check the level of several substances, such as creatinine. A high level of creatinine may
mean the kidneys are not doing their job.

Diagnosis

Physical exam: The doctor checks general signs of health and tests for fever and high blood
pressure. The doctor also feels the abdomen and side for tumors.
 Urine tests: Urine is checked for blood and other signs of disease.
 Blood tests: The lab checks the blood to see how well the kidneys are working. The lab may
check the level of several substances, such as creatinine. A high level of creatinine may mean
the kidneys are not doing their job.
  Intravenous pyelogram (IVP): The doctor injects dye into a vein in the arm. The dye travels
through the body and collects in the kidneys. The dye makes them show up on X-rays. A
series of X-rays then tracks the dye as it moves through the kidneys to the ureters and
bladder. The X-rays can show a kidney tumor or other problems.
 CT scan (CAT scan): An X-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed
pictures of the kidneys. The patient may receive an injection of dye so the kidneys show up
clearly in the pictures. A CT scan can show a kidney tumor.
 Ultrasound test: The ultrasound device uses sound waves that people cannot hear. The
waves bounce off the kidneys, and a computer uses the echoes to create a picture called a
sonogram. A solid tumor or cyst can be sorted out using a sonogram.
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