Kidney cancer is the 12th most common cancer worldwide (>400,000 cases annually). Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) accounts for ~85% of malignant kidney tumors.
Types of Kidney Cancer
• Clear Cell RCC: ~75% of cases.
• Papillary RCC: 10-15% (Chromophobe 5%, Clear Cell Papillary 2-4%).
• Aggressive Types: Collecting Duct Carcinoma (1%), Medullary Cancer (1% sickle cell trait link), Urothelial Carcinoma of renal pelvis, Wilms Tumor (pediatric ages 2-5), Renal Sarcoma (<1%).
Symptoms & Risk Factors
Symptoms: Hematuria (pink/red blood in urine), loss of appetite, persistent flank/back pain, tiredness, weight loss.
Risk factors: Older age, tobacco smoking, obesity, hypertension, VHL disease, Birt-Hogg-Dube, Tuberous sclerosis, family history.
TNM Staging & Treatments
Staging: Stage I (<7 cm in kidney) to Stage IVB (distant organ metastasis).
Treatment: Radical Nephrectomy, Partial Nephrectomy (kidney-sparing), Cryoablation (freezing), Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA heating), Radiation, Targeted TKIs.