Kidney Cancer * What are the kidneys? * What is cancer? * What are kidney cancer causes and risk factor? * What are kidney cancer symptoms and signs? * How is kidney cancer diagnosed? * How is kidney cancer staging determined? * Methods of kidney cancer treatment * What are the side effects of treatment for kidney cancer? * What happens after treatment for kidney cancer? * What does the future hold in the field of kidney cancer? * What resources are there for patients with kidney cancer? * Kidney Cancer At A Glance * Patient Discussions: Kidney Cancer - Symptoms At Onset Of Disease * Find a local Oncologist in your town Weight Gain & Cancer Risk Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR Could weight gain increase your risk for kidney cancer?Excess weight is a known risk factor for many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. Obesity has also been linked an increased risk for developing some cancers. To clarify the effects of weight gain on cancer risk, researchers in 2007 conducted an analysis of many studies reported in medical journals that describe 282,137 cases of cancer. The researchers wanted to see if weight gain had an effect on the risk for certain cancer types. In particular, the researchers looked at the risk of cancer associated with a weight gain corresponding to an increase of 5 kg/m2 in body mass index (BMI). In terms of actual pounds gained, a man with a normal-range BMI of 23 would need to gain 15 kg (33 lbs.) of weight, while a woman with a BMI of 23 would need to gain 13 kg (28.6 lbs.) to correspond to an increase of 5 in the BMI. The results, published in the Lancet in February 2008, revealed that weight gain is positively associated with the risk of developing a variety of types of cancer as described below. For women, a weight gain corresponding to an increase of 5 in the BMI resulted in a significant increase in risk for developing four cancer types: * esophageal adenocarcinoma (double the risk), * endometrial cancer (slightly more than double the risk), * gallbladder cancer (slightly more than double the risk), and * kidney (renal) cancer. Learn how weight gain increases one's risk for other forms of cancer » Top Searched Kidney Cancer Terms symptoms, causes, treatment, prognosis, hematuria, diagnosis, is kidney cancer hereditary? The kidneys The kidneys are a pair of organs on either side of the spine in the lower abdomen. Each kidney is about the size of a fist. Attached to the top of each kidney is an adrenal gland. A mass of fatty tissue and an outer layer of fibrous tissue (Gerota's fascia) enclose the kidneys and adrenal glands. The kidneys are part of the urinary tract. They make urine by removing wastes and extra water from the blood. Urine collects in a hollow space (renal pelvis) in the middle of each kidney. It passes from the renal pelvis into the bladder through a tube called a ureter. Urine leaves the body through another tube (the urethra). The kidneys also make substances that help control blood pressure and the production of red blood cells. Understanding cancer Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. Tissues make up the organs of the body. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant: * Benign tumors are not cancer: o Benign tumors are rarely life threatening. o Usually, benign tumors can be removed, and they seldom grow back. o Cells from benign tumors do not invade tissues around them or spread to other parts of the body. * Malignant tumors are cancer: o Malignant tumors are generally more serious than benign tumors. They may be life threatening. o Malignant tumors often can be removed, but they can grow back. o Cells from malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Also, cancer cells can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. That is how cancer cells spread from the original cancer (primary tumor) to form new tumors in other organs. The spread of cancer is called metastasis. Several types of cancer can start in the kidney. This booklet is about renal cell cancer, the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. This type is sometimes called renal adenocarcinoma or hypernephroma. Another type of cancer, transitional cell carcinoma, affects the renal pelvis. It is similar to bladder cancer and is often treated like bladder cancer. Wilms tumor is the most common type of childhood kidney cancer. It is different from adult kidney cancer and requires different treatment. Information about transitional cell carcinoma and Wilms tumor is available from the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER and at http://cancer.gov. When kidney cancer spreads outside the kidney, cancer cells are often found in nearby lymph nodes. Kidney cancer also may spread to the lungs, bones, or liver. And it may spread from one kidney to the other. When cancer spreads (metastasizes) from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor. For example, if kidney cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually kidney cancer cells. The disease is metastatic kidney cancer, not lung cancer. It is treated as kidney cancer, not lung cancer. Doctors sometimes call the new tumor metastatic or "distant" disease. Kidney cancer Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Kidney Cancer * Why do you suspect that I have kidney cancer? * What other conditions might be causing kidney cancer symptoms? * What types of tests will be performed to confirm or rule out kidney cancer? * What do kidney cancer tests involve? * How should I prepare for these diagnostic tests? * What type of kidney biopsy will be performed? * What does kidney biopsy involve? * What type of kidney cancer do I have? * What is my kidney cancer stage? * What is the usual prognosis for patients with this type and stage of kidney cancer? * Do you recommend I get a second opinion before starting cancer treatment? Why or why not? * Who will be the members of my oncology team? * What are the kidney cancer treatment options available at this time? * What type of treatments do you recommend? * What are the benefits, disadvantages, and risks associated with this treatment? * What can I expect in terms of quality of life during treatment? * What does chemotherapy involve? * What does radiation therapy involve? * What does kidney cancer surgery involve? What type of procedure will be performed? * How can I expect to feel after surgery? How long is the typical recovery period? * How will we know if treatment is working? * How will my condition be monitored during treatment? * What kinds of side effects are associated with kidney cancer treatment? * How will these side effects be managed? * What should I do if I experience severe side effects related to my treatment, if my symptoms worsen, or if new symptoms develop? Telephone number to call: * Are there complementary and alternative kidney cancer treatments available? * Once I have completed treatment, how often will I see the doctor for follow-ups? * How likely is it that the cancer will return? * How can I help prevent a recurrence? * Do you recommend that I participate in a clinical trial for patients with kidney cancer? Why or why not? * What can I expect in terms of quality of life during cancer treatment? * Can you recommend a local or online support group for kidney cancer patients? * Can you recommend a support group for family members of kidney cancer patients? * Can you recommend any resources for additional information about kidney cancer?