Renal Cell Carcinoma: Everything You Need To Know

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
1:18 causes of Renal Cell Carcinoma
2:10 symptoms of Renal Cell Carcinoma
2:29 Diagnosis and treatment
4:12 Treatment

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of the proximal convoluted tubule, a part of the very small tubes in the kidney that transport primary urine. RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, responsible for approximately 90–95% of cases.[1] RCC occurrence shows a male predominance over women with a ratio of 1.5:1. RCC most commonly occurs between 6th and 7th decade of life.[2]

Initial treatment is most commonly either partial or complete removal of the affected kidney(s).[3] Where the cancer has not metastasised (spread to other organs) or burrowed deeper into the tissues of the kidney, the five-year survival rate is 65–90%,[4] but this is lowered considerably when the cancer has spread.

The body is remarkably good at hiding the symptoms and as a result people with RCC often have advanced disease by the time it is discovered.[5] The initial symptoms of RCC often include blood in the urine (occurring in 40% of affected persons at the time they first seek medical attention), flank pain (40%), a mass in the abdomen or flank (25%), weight loss (33%), fever (20%), high blood pressure (20%), night sweats and generally feeling unwell.[1] When RCC metastasises, it most commonly spreads to the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, adrenal glands, brain or bones.[6] Immunotherapy and targeted therapy have improved the outlook for metastatic RCC.[7][8]

RCC is also associated with a number of paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) which are conditions caused by either the hormones produced by the tumour or by the body's attack on the tumour and are present in about 20% of those with RCC.[1] These syndromes most commonly affect tissues which have not been invaded by the cancer.[1] The most common PNSs seen in people with RCC are: high blood calcium levels, high red blood cell count, high platelet count and secondary amyloidosis.[6]

[kittya]

I am a person living with Renal Cell Carcinoma. I am female, and was diagnosed with papillary RCCA in 2011 when I was 20. And my family had no history of kidney disease. My kidney was taken out and I was in remission until 2018, when a couple of nodules appeared in my lungs. I had VATS metastasectomy then. But it metastasised again in 2021 in my lungs still, and had another VATS procedure. Then my 2022 scans showed that another nodule is growing in my lung. Now I am undergoing targeted therapy with Pazopanib with hopes that this cancer will finally disappear in a couple of years.

[verabeekbergen]

I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in the left kidney in November 2024... They removed part of the kidney and in June 2024 I have to have a scan to check whether there is any new cancer
I am 47 jear old

[TattoodDood]

I had a kidney taken out five years ago with a large tumor. I was given a CT scan every six months, now "surprise" it's back with a vengeance. They say I have one year at most. The tumors make it impossible to sleep. Morphine doesn't help much for the pain.

[Suezee]

2009 radical nephrectomy, now spread to lungs 😢 stage 4

[crt]

Does it start as a cancerous tumor or can it start as a kidney cyst

[KarlaElaine]

My son who is thirty seven was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer. The tumor is 2.5 cm. He had blood clots in his lungs but no sign of cancer elsewhere. He’s having a partial nephrectomy next month. They said nodules in lungs were not particularly suspicious. Is stage 1 kidney cancer curable at all? Or does it just extend life expectancy somewhat?

[mooneygirl]

My father stage 4 & its pretty advanced. At this point Im not sure what else they can do for him the tumors has spreaded.

[fixed]

Is rcc curable when it's spread to lungs, adult male