InsightsFrenzy.com | Discover Insightful Content

Treatment options for stage IV kidney cancer

Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, is a cancer that develops in the kidneys. The real cause of kidney cancer is not known. But abnormal cell growth causes all cancer and it occurs due to changes in the DNA of the affected cells.
Risk factors for kidney cancer can be hereditary factors, obesity, kidney disease, exposure to chemicals like cadmium or benzene, certain genetic conditions like von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease and lymphoma.

Symptoms
Kidney cancer symptoms usually do not appear in the early stages of the disease. In the later stages of kidney cancer, the patient may experience one or more of the following symptoms.
â Extreme fatigue
â Blood appearing in urine
â Appetite loss
â Lower back pain
â Unexplained weight loss
â Anemia
â Lump in the abdomen
â Fever that occurs not due to infections but other reasons
â Swollen legs or ankles
â Pain in bones or in the waist or sides

Some kidney cancer symptoms like breathlessness may appear when the disease has spread to other body parts. Depending on the patient’s symptoms, the doctor may order tests such as a biopsy, X-rays, MRI or a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis of kidney cancer.

Treatment
The treatment of kidney cancer depends on the stage of the disease. The stages and the numbers in the stage determine the severity of kidney cancer.

â Stage 1 When the tumor is 7 centimeters in size or smaller and is confined to the kidneys.

â Stage 2 When the cancer is larger than 7 centimeters but still in the kidney.

â Stage 3 When the tumor has spread to nearby parts such as the adrenal gland, one or more of the major veins or a lymph node.

â Stage 4 When the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or to lymph nodes (more than one) or other body parts.

Another aspect of the kidney cancer staging is the system of TNM, which refers to tumor, node and metastasis.
â T refers to the tumor size (T0 to T4).
â N refers to the presence of kidney cancer cells in one or more lymph nodes (N0 to N2).
â M refers to the spread of kidney cancer to other body parts (M0 to M1).

Stage 4 kidney cancer treatment depends on factors like the severity of the cancer and the health of the patient.
â Surgery is the main treatment for less advanced stages of kidney cancer. For stage 4 kidney cancer treatment, the doctor may plan a surgery along with other types of therapies.
â Additional therapies may include radiation therapy, targeted therapies, biological therapy, chemotherapy, arterial embolization or cryotherapy.
â Biological therapy, also known as immunotherapy, is one of the main stage 4 kidney cancer treatment methods. This therapy is an attempt to strengthen the immune system to effectively fight or stop the spread of cancer cells. Different types of biological therapies use different drugs for the treatment.

Disclaimer:

The content provided on our blog site traverses numerous categories, offering readers valuable and practical information. Readers can use the editorial team’s research and data to gain more insights into their topics of interest. However, they are requested not to treat the articles as conclusive. The website team cannot be held responsible for differences in data or inaccuracies found across other platforms. Please also note that the site might also miss out on various schemes and offers available that the readers may find more beneficial than the ones we cover.

Popular Articles

Treatment Options for Renal Cell Cancer

Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply uncontrollably in the body. Cancer tumors and are of two types—malignant (cancerous) and benign (non-cancerous). These malignant cancerous cells are capable of spreading and affecting other parts of the body.

Understanding the Treatment Options for Stage IV Breast Cancer

There are 4 stages of breast cancer—stage I, II, III, and IV. Stage IV breast cancer is also known as metastatic or even secondary breast cancer and is the most advanced stage of breast cancer.

Treatment options for advanced lung cancer

Lung cancer forms tumors in the body that affect the lungs and cause blockages. 3 signs of lung cancer include wheezing, shortness of breath, and blood in the mucus. Although surgery and advanced chemotherapy help to remove and kill these cancerous tumors, there are rapid research and development in treating lung cancer.

An Overview Of Bladder Cancer

An overview of bladder cancer Bladder cancer is one of the most common types of cancer with around 60,000 new cases every year in the country. It affects more men than women.

What Are The Different Signs And Symptoms Of Kidney Cancer

Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located in the upper abdominal area against the back muscles on both the left and right side of the spine. The major function of this organ is to discharge excess fluid and waste materials from the body through urine.

Metastatic Lung Cancer – Stages And Their Treatment

Metastatic lung cancer – Stages and their treatment The development of cancer starts from a specific organ in the body, known as the primary site. Unlike other body cells, cancer cells break away from the primary site at later stages of cancer and affect other body parts.