Understanding Metastatic Kidney Cancer: Causes and Symptoms
This article offers a comprehensive overview of metastatic kidney cancer, including its causes, typical symptoms, and stages. It highlights how the cancer spreads via blood and lymph systems, making early detection challenging. The piece emphasizes diagnostic procedures like imaging and lab tests to assess progression and provide suitable treatment options. Stay informed about risks and symptoms to seek timely medical attention and improve outcomes in kidney cancer cases.
Renal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney cancer that begins in the tiny tubes within the kidney, which are responsible for filtering waste from the blood into urine. When this cancer spreads beyond the kidney to other parts of the body, it is known as metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This spread occurs through processes called metastasis, involving blood, lymphatic pathways, or surrounding tissues.
Metastasis can happen in three main ways: tumor cells can invade blood vessels, traveling through the bloodstream to distant organs; they can move via the lymphatic system, reaching vital organs; or spread locally to nearby tissues. Detecting metastatic kidney cancer early can be challenging, with symptoms becoming apparent only as the disease advances.
- Night sweats
- Swelling in ankles
- Fever, fatigue, and weight loss
- Painless lumps on the back or side
- Lower back pain
- Blood in the urine
As the cancer progresses, it affects vital organs such as bones, liver, lungs, brain, and adrenal glands. Symptoms at this stage include: bone pain and fractures, neurological issues like headaches and dizziness, breathing difficulty, and jaundice. The disease stages range from localized tumors affecting the kidney to widespread metastasis involving multiple organs.
Diagnosis involves physical exams, review of medical history, lab tests like urinalysis, and imaging procedures such as CT scans and MRIs to determine cancer spread and severity.
