Renal cell carcinoma

Disease	Injury	Nutrition	Poison

Special Topic	Surgery	Symptoms	Test

Kidney anatomy

Kidney tumor - CT scan

Kidney metastases, CT scan

Kidney - blood and urine flow

Renal cell carcinoma

Alternative Names:

Renal cancer; Kidney cancer; Hypernephroma; Adenocarcinoma of renal cells; Cancer - kidney

Symptoms:

Blood in the urine
Abnormal urine color (dark, rusty, or brown)
Flank pain
Back pain
Abdominal pain
Weight loss, more than 5% of body weight
Emaciated, thin, malnourished appearance
Enlargement of one testicle
Swelling or enlargement of the abdomen

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

Signs and tests:

Palpation of the abdomen may show a mass or organ enlargement, particularly of the kidney or liver. There may be a testicular varicocele.

A CBC may show increased red blood cells (RBC) caused by stimulation of RBC production by the tumor. More commonly, though, it shows a decrease in RBC count.
The RBC in urine is increased.
Serum calcium levels may increase because of hormonal changes resulting from the tumor.
The SGPT and alkaline phosphatase may be elevated.
A urine cytology examination may show carcinoma cells.
Liver function tests may show involvement of the liver from metastasis, or may be abnormal without metastasis.
An ultrasound of the abdomen and kidney may show the tumor.
Kidney X-ray may indicate a tumor or calcification.
IVP may indicate obstruction by the tumor.
Renal arteriography may show the tumor if it is highly vascular.

Because metastasis is common, the following tests to look for metastasis may be performed:

An abdominal CT scan shows the kidney tumor and may show a liver mass.
Sometimes an abdominal MRI has to be done to determine if the tumor involves any surrounding blood vessels and to determine whether it can be surgically removed.
A chest X-ray may show mass in the chest.
A bone scan may show involvement of the bones.

Review Date: 8/3/2002
Reviewed By: Scott Howard, M.D., M.S., Memphis, TN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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