Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the lining of the tubules or other areas of the kidneys. Renal cell carcinoma (renal adenocarcinoma) accounts for about 90% of cases. The danger of the disease lies in its rapid spread throughout the body – through the bloodstream and the lymphatic system. If treatment is not started on time, metastases will reach distant structures, which will worsen the prognosis of survival. In the early stages, kidney-sparing surgery is possible.

Special diagnostics allows the detection of kidney cancer in the early stages. An accurate diagnosis can be obtained in specialized centers that are equipped with everything you need. Kidney cancer diagnostics in Turkey, Israel and Europe gives the most reliable result for the development of an effective treatment plan. To sign up for a foreign clinic, leave a request on the MedTour website.

Why does kidney cancer occur?

Scientists still cannot identify the exact cause of kidney cancer in children and adults. The main risk factors for the development of the disease include:

• Family history (cases of renal carcinoma in older relatives);
• Genetic diseases (Hippel-Lindau disease – multiple cysts, papillary carcinoma and others);
• Diabetes;
• Polycystic kidney disease;
• Smoking tobacco products (doubles the risk of kidney cancer);
• Long-term overuse of painkillers;
• Overweight;
• High blood pressure (in men with hypertension, the risk of kidney cancer is 2 times higher).

Studies have confirmed that kidney cancer is diagnosed in people who work in industries associated with carcinogens. Substances harmful to health (cadmium, asbestos) are found in aniline dyes.

Kidney cancer in children reaches 40% of all cancer diagnoses among minor patients. High-quality diagnostics and correctly selected treatment give a chance for a complete cure while preserving the kidneys. Resection of a malignant tumor without complete removal of the organ is a complex procedure that requires high medical qualifications. Such operations for the treatment of kidney cancer are successfully carried out in clinics abroad.

Kidney cancer symptoms

At an early stage, kidney cancer does not manifest itself as tangible changes in well-being. There are kidney cancer symptoms that are most commonly seen in patients:

• Signs of blood in the urine (hematuria);
• Anemia;
• Swelling in the lumbar region;
• Pain in the kidney area;
• A sharp increase in blood pressure (secondary arterial hypertension);
• Swelling of the legs;
• Loss of appetite;
• Increased body temperature.

Where does kidney cancer hurt?

In the later stages, patients complain of intense bone and joint pain. Often these symptoms are combined with severe back discomfort in the kidney area.

When the tumor grows in size, it leads to the appearance of another symptom – the appearance of a lump in the abdomen. People with thin builds may themselves notice swelling in the abdominal region. Such a manifestation of the disease requires an immediate visit to an oncologist.

Kidney cancer diagnosis

Doctors of specialized clinics always conduct examinations, which include laboratory tests, various tests and hardware screenings. Kidney cancer treatment in Turkey, South Korea, Israel and Europe is not prescribed without accurate diagnosis.

How to identify kidney cancer during medical examinations:

• Examination of the patient. The doctor examines the history, reveals the external signs of kidney cancer (lumps in the abdomen or on the back).
• Ultrasound procedure. An ultrasound machine forms a picture of body tissues (sonogram). The doctor can assess the condition of the kidneys and suspect cancer.
• Chemical analysis of blood. A specialist checks a blood sample for changes in the amount of certain substances. Violations in blood components indicate illness.
• General urine analysis. A laboratory technician performs a test to check the color of urine and its contents – sugar, protein, red blood cells, and white blood cells. Deviations from the norms require a thorough follow-up examination of the kidneys.
• CT scan. With CT, the doctor takes detailed pictures of the areas inside the body – the abdomen and pelvis from different angles. If necessary, contrast can be injected into a vein or swallowed so that organs or tissues can be seen more clearly.
• Magnetic resonance imaging. Scanning the patient’s body for MRI gives doctors a more accurate idea of ​​the presence of cancer processes. With the help of the MRI machine 3 Tesla, doctors can see the smallest metastases up to 2 mm in size.
• Biopsy. A pathologist examines tissue samples from a patient to look for signs of cancer cells. To get a biopsy for renal cell carcinoma, a fine needle is inserted into the tumor and a tissue sample is taken (fine needle biopsy).

Doctors of foreign clinics often use PET-CT for reliable examination of kidney cancer and detection of metastases. This is an accurate diagnosis that is available in a few clinics in the CIS. Foreign oncologists never prescribe treatment without accurate examination results and complete visualization of the oncological process in the patient's body.

Examples of PET-CT prices for kidney cancer abroad:

• Germany – от $2 300;
• Israel – от $1 300;
• Turkey – от $800.

What tumor marker shows kidney cancer?

Tumor markers are specific proteins that are elevated as cancer develops. The indicator of tumor markers can be increased even in the absence of cancer. Therefore, in advanced foreign clinics, such tests are used as an auxiliary, and not as the main diagnostic method.

A tumor marker is taken before starting treatment, this figure is recorded. If the tumor turns out to be malignant, the data is used as a control of the success of chemotherapy – to take a test once a month or once a month and a half, and if the indicator grows, the drugs are changed.

Types of tumor markers for kidney cancer:

• Tumor Marker – highly sensitive to cancer cells;
• Neuron-specific enolase – an increase in NSE levels may indicate cancer;
• Ferritin – serum iron can also be used to diagnose and monitor the effectiveness of kidney cancer treatments.

How long do you live with kidney cancer

Kidney cancer survival at different stages:

• At stage 1 kidney cancer, the 10-year survival rate is up to 80% after radical nephrectomy;
• Up to 60% of patients live at stage 2 of kidney cancer for 5 years;
• For stage 3A kidney cancer, the 5-year survival rate does not exceed 40%, with stages 3B and 3C – up to 20%.

How long they live with grade 4 kidney cancer depends on the individual characteristics of the organism and the sensitivity of the tumor to therapy. In the CIS countries, the survival rate for stage 4 kidney cancer does not exceed 1%. Foreign doctors are introducing new types of treatment that allow patients to live at least 5 years in 8% of cases at the very late stage of the disease.

Stages of kidney cancer

Specialists diagnose kidney cancer according to four stages of the disease. Each stage is characterized by its own signs and degree of damage to neighboring and distant structures.

Kidney cancer stage 1

The tumor size is up to 7 cm, there is no metastasis, cancer cells are localized exclusively in the renal tissue.

Kidney cancer stage 2

Malignant tumor more than 7 cm (the size of a small apple), does not go beyond the organ.

Kidney cancer stage 3

The tumor may not extend beyond the renal capsule, but spreads to the adrenal gland or perinephric tissue. Also, the neoplasm can spread into the renal and vena cava.

Kidney cancer stage 4

The tumor invades the renal capsule. Kidney cancer spreads to almost all organs and tissues. Most often metastases are found in the lungs, liver, bones.

Metastasis of kidney cancer occurs by hematogenous (with blood flow) or lymphogenous (with lymph flow) pathway. Malignant cells spread throughout the body. In such cases, it is necessary to carry out complex treatment, which includes the use of modern drugs to eliminate the oncological process. The latest generation of drugs are available in foreign renal cancer clinics.

Kidney cancer treatment

The main treatment for kidney cancer is surgery. During surgery, the doctor removes the tumor as much as possible and, if possible, preserves the kidney. At the same time, the body continues to function. It is more difficult to carry out such an operation than to completely remove a kidney affected by cancer. For this, the doctor must be highly qualified and have modern surgical equipment.

In the practice of foreign clinics, specialists use 5 types of procedures how to treat kidney cancer:

• Operation;
• Radiation therapy;
• Chemotherapy;
• Immunotherapy;
• Targeted therapy.

Clinical trials are ongoing for innovative treatments for kidney cancer. In hospitals in Turkey, Israel, Germany and a number of other countries with developed medicine, patients have the opportunity to take part in such studies.

Surgical treatments for kidney cancer:

• Partial nephrectomy – the doctor removes the tumor and some of the tissue around it. Partial nephrectomy can be performed to prevent loss of kidney function when the other kidney is damaged or has already been removed.
• Simple nephrectomy is a surgical procedure to remove only the tumor-bearing kidney.
• Radical nephrectomy – the surgeon removes the kidneys, adrenal glands, surrounding tissue and, in some cases, nearby lymph nodes.

How is kidney cancer treated if surgery is not possible?

When surgery to remove a tumor is not possible, doctors perform arterial embolization. To do this, a small incision is made and a catheter (thin tube) is inserted into the main blood vessel that leads to the kidney. Small pieces of a special gelatinous sponge are inserted through the catheter into this vessel. Sponges block blood flow to the kidneys and prevent cancer cells from receiving oxygen and other substances necessary for tumor growth. This procedure is carried out by experienced doctors of foreign clinics.

Radiation therapy

It is a non-surgical treatment for kidney cancer that uses high-energy X-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells. External radiation therapy is used outside the patient’s body to direct radiation directly to the tumor. External beam radiation therapy for kidney cancer can be used as palliative care to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life of a patient with cancer.

For radiation therapy of kidney cancer in Israel, Turkey and Europe, doctors use the latest generation TrueBeam STx unit. It allows doctors to create a 3D model of the human body and adjust the irradiation so as not to affect healthy tissues and organs of the patient.

Kidney cancer chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs are prescribed to slow the growth of cancer cells (before surgery), or completely destroy them (after surgery). When a patient takes drugs orally, intramuscularly or intravenously, the active ingredients enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body – this is systemic chemotherapy.

Immunotherapy

The use of immunotherapy drugs stimulates the patient’s immune system to fight kidney cancer. Special substances enhance the body’s natural defenses against cancer cells.

According to the National Cancer Institute of America, it is necessary to conduct tests, thanks to which doctors can choose the most effective drugs for immune or targeted therapy. An individual approach to choosing a treatment program allows patients to live longer even at the most advanced stages of kidney cancer.

Basic treatment for kidney cancer by stage

A properly selected treatment program improves the prognosis of survival and gives a chance for a complete cure. It is important that such a program is drawn up by an experienced oncologist. The equipment of the clinic where the patient is undergoing kidney cancer treatment gives doctors more opportunities to carry out complex therapy using safe and effective equipment. As a rule, the ideal combination of all these parameters is available in foreign hospitals, where treatment is carried out according to modern international protocols, taking into account the stage of cancer.

Stage 1 kidney cancer treatment program

Removal of a malignant tumor while preserving the kidney. Doctors perform nephrectomy in one of three ways: abdominal surgery, laparoscopic, or using a Da Vinci robot (low-traumatic surgery, which is performed strictly according to indications). Treatment is complemented by radiation therapy. Arterial embolization is possible.

Stage 2 kidney cancer treatment

Removal of the kidney with adjacent fatty tissue, sometimes together with the adrenal glands, adjacent vessels and regional lymph nodes. Most often, doctors supplement treatment with radiation therapy and arterial embolization.

Stage 3 kidney cancer treatment

Removal of the kidney with adjacent fatty tissue, adrenal glands, adjacent vessels, lymph nodes. Radiation therapy courses are prescribed before and after the operation.

Stage 4 kidney cancer treatment

Radical nephrectomy, metastasectomy (removal of the kidney and tumors in other organs) in combination with chemotherapy, targeted and immunotherapy. To reduce pain and improve the quality of life, doctors give the patient a course of radiation therapy.

Where is it better to be operated on for kidney cancer

When choosing a clinic for the treatment of kidney cancer, you need to pay attention to the equipment of the medical institution. Modern medical technologies allow surgeons to effectively perform kidney surgeries so as to minimize the likelihood of recurrence of the disease.

Kidney cancer surgery on Da Vinci

When it is possible to carry out operations in a minimally invasive way, doctors use the Da Vinci robot-assisted surgical installation. Doctors use robotic interventions as an alternative to traditional open surgery. This reduces the risk of bleeding, infection, damage to healthy tissues and reduces pain after the intervention.

The operation with the help of Da Vinci goes through 5 small incisions of 1-1.5 cm. The incision in open surgery is 12-15 cm. As a result, the patient recovers faster than after open surgery.

Nano Knife for kidney cancer treatment

This is a procedure that is performed during surgery. During this operation, doctors use electric current to destroy cancer cells in soft tissues. The Nano Knife allows doctors to destroy tumors in hard-to-reach places.

The use of the Nano Knife in kidney cancer allows doctors to destroy cancer cells as efficiently as possible without harming healthy tissues of the body. This procedure prolongs the patient’s life, in some cases a complete remission is achieved.

Radiosurgery for kidney cancer

CyberKnife is a radiosurgical system for the precise irradiation of tumors. Doctors use this robotic system as an alternative to traditional surgery when it is impossible to remove a tumor.

According to research published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, up to 40% of patients after kidney cancer treatment with Cyberknife achieve complete remission.

The use of this or that equipment requires the clinic to timely update the program (software) in the installations themselves. This affects the quality of their work and the safety of treatment. Foreign clinics strictly adhere to the recommendations of equipment manufacturers. Robotic plants are constantly monitored by technical specialists from manufacturing companies.

How much does kidney cancer treatment cost abroad?

The cost of treatment in foreign clinics will depend on:

• Experience and popularity of doctors – oncologist, surgeon, radiologist;
• Equipment of the hospital for diagnostics and treatment – availability of the latest generation equipment;
• The number of courses of prescribed therapy. For example, targeted and immunotherapy drugs cost the same, but the final cost of treatment will depend on the duration of the drug intake.

Also, the total cost of treatment is influenced by the patient’s condition, the stage of kidney cancer and concomitant diseases. To carry out complex therapy, may need several methods of treatment and consultations of other narrow-profile specialists.

Examples of the cost of kidney cancer treatment in clinics abroad:

• Radiotherapy – from $4 000 to $9 000;
• Chemotherapy for intravenous administration – from $1 000;
• Immunotherapy – $1 250 per package;
• Operation on Da Vinci – from $10 000;
• Radiation therapy session – from $300.

The most optimal price-quality ratio of kidney cancer treatment in Turkish clinics. The country is included in the TOP-5 states where the diagnosis and treatment of oncology is most effectively carried out (according to the IMTJ medical tourism journal).

Frequently asked questions about kidney cancer

To contact the best foreign clinic for the treatment of kidney cancer, leave a request on the MedTour website. The coordinating doctor will help you with the choice of a doctor and a hospital, and arrange a trip as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Why is kidney cancer dangerous?

The disease spreads wherever renal cancer metastases. This happens through the blood or lymph, which carries cancer cells to all organs. Extensive metastasis of the body is fatal.

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How long can you live with kidney cancer?

How many years you can live with kidney cancer depends on the stage of the disease at which treatment was started. The earlier cancer is detected, the better the chances of complete remission. Kidney cancer at stages 1-2 responds well to treatment and many patients live at the turn of 10 years.

How long they live with stage 4 kidney cancer depends on the prescribed methods of treatment and the individual body’s response to medications. According to international statistics, approximately 8 out of 100 patients live at the turn of 5 years.

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How can kidney cancer be diagnosed?

The most reliable results can be obtained thanks to laboratory tests, genetic tests, tumor markers and instrumental studies. According to the practice of the leading oncological clinics in Turkey, South Korea, Israel and Europe, only complex diagnostics can accurately establish the stage of kidney cancer.

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How to beat kidney cancer?

In modern medicine, special programs have been developed for the treatment of kidney cancer at different stages. In countries with the most developed medicine, a patient with oncology always has a better chance of getting rid of the disease completely. This is due to the access of foreign hospitals to innovative drugs, treatment with high-quality equipment and extensive clinical experience of oncologists.

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What is the treatment for clear cell kidney cancer?

Clear cell carcinoma of the kidney histologically complements the following types of renal cell carcinoma:

• Chromophilic (papillary) kidney cancer;
• Chromophobic kidney cancer;
• Cancer of the kidney;
• Collecting duct cancer;
• Medullary renal cancer.

The disease develops in the filtering reabsorbing tubules of the kidneys. If the disease is detected in the early stages, it responds well to treatment. In clear cell kidney cancer, survival at 5 years is achieved in 90% of cases. The main method of treatment for clear cell kidney cancer is surgical removal of the tumor and various types of therapy.

One of the subtypes of cancer is clear cell hypernephroid renal cancer. For the treatment of this type of cancer, foreign oncologists often use radiosurgery. This avoids the need for lifelong hemodialysis.

Published: 23.09.2021

Updated: 02.10.2021

Medical author:

Ilona Baidiuk

Information on this webpage verified by the medical expert

Medical Doctor, oncologist, PHD student

Kateryna Maliarchuk