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Summary
You have two kidneys. They are fist-sized organs on either side of your backbone above your waist. The tubes inside filter and clean your blood, taking out waste products and making urine. Kidney cancer forms in the lining of tiny tubes inside your kidneys.
Kidney cancer becomes more likely as you age. Risk factors include smoking, having certain genetic conditions, and misusing pain medicines for a long time.
You may have no symptoms at first. They may appear as the cancer grows. See your health care provider if you notice
- Blood in your urine
- A lump in your abdomen
- Weight loss for no reason
- Pain in your side that does not go away
- Loss of appetite
Tests to diagnose kidney cancer include blood, urine, and imaging tests. You may also have a biopsy.
Treatment depends on your age, your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, biologic, or targeted therapies. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
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General Information about Renal Cell Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
Also in Spanish
- Kidney Cancer (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- What Is Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma)? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
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What You Need to Know about Kidney Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
Latest News
- 'Couch Potatoes' May Face Higher Risk of Kidney, Bladder Cancers (06/15/2017, HealthDay)
Diagnosis and Tests
- How Is Kidney Cancer Diagnosed? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
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Kidney Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
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Stages of Renal Cell Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
Also in Spanish
- Urine Cytology (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- What Are the Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Ablation and Other Local Therapy for Kidney Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Biologic Therapy (Immunotherapy) for Kidney Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
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Drugs Approved for Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
- Kidney removal - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Nephrectomy (Kidney Removal) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Targeted Therapies for Kidney Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
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Treatment Option Overview (Renal Cell Cancer)
(National Cancer Institute)
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Treatment Options for Renal Cell Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
Also in Spanish
Living With
- Emotional Well-Being (Kidney Cancer Association)
- Living with Kidney Cancer (Kidney Cancer Association)
- What Happens After Treatment for Kidney Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Patient Empowerment (Kidney Cancer Association)
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Kidney Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Genetics
- Do We Know What Causes Kidney Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Familial Non-VHL Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
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Genetics Home Reference: BAP1 tumor predisposition syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
- Hereditary Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
Health Check Tools
- Kidney Cancer Risk Questionnaire (Siteman Cancer Center)
Videos and Tutorials
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Robot Assisted Partial Nephrectomy Using Fluorescence
(BroadcastMed)
- Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Merriam, KS, 10/17/2012
Statistics and Research
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Cancer of the Kidney and Renal Pelvis
(National Cancer Institute)
- Kidney Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- What Are the Key Statistics about Kidney Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- What's New in Kidney Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Carcinoma, Renal Cell
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Kidney Neoplasms
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Reference Desk
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Kidneys and How They Work
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Also in Spanish
- Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
-
Directory of Kidney and Urologic Diseases Organizations
(National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse)
- PDF
- Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- Kidney Cancer Association
-
National Cancer Institute
Also in Spanish
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Organizations That Offer Support Services
(National Cancer Institute)
Also in Spanish
Children
- Kidney Cancer in Children (Urology Care Foundation)
- Ultrasound: Renal (Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
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Wilms' Tumor: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Cancer - renal pelvis or ureter (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Kidney removal (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Kidney removal - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Renal cell carcinoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
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Understanding Chemotherapy
(National Cancer Institute)
- PDF
Also in Spanish