Prognosis for Renal Cancer
Renal cancer, also called "renal cell carcinoma," is a kidney cancer where cancerous cells develop in the tubes in the kidney. Renal cancer can involve one or both kidneys, but the prognosis is related to whether it has spread to other organs.
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Symptoms
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Renal cancer often involves changes in urine color, pain in the back, blood in the urine, abdominal pain, weight loss, abdominal swelling, constipation, intolerance to the cold, hair growth, changes in vision, and pale skin.
Prognosis
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The prognosis of renal cancer depends heavily on whether the cancer has metastasized, or spread to other organs. Survival rates are higher if the tumors have not spread outside of the kidneys.
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Diagnostic Techniques
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Staging of renal cancer involves a series of diagnostic tests to determine if and how far the cancerous cells have spread. Staging often involves a physical exam and discussion of symptoms, biopsies, and imaging techniques such as a CT scan, X-rays, and a PET scan to determine how extensive the cell growth is and the extent of the disease.
Staging
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Different staging systems are used in the medical field, including the Robson classification system and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. As detailed by Cancer Monthly, based on a 5-year outlook, the Robson classification for renal cancer is as follows: Stage 1 renal cancer is confined to the kidney and has a 66% survival rate; stage II renal cancer has extended into the renal capsule and has a 64% survival rate; stage 3A involves the renal vein or vena cava and also has a 64% survival rate; stage 3B involves the lymph nodes, and the survival rate drops to 20%; and stage 4 includes tumors in other organs and has an 11% survival rate.
Treatment
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When developing a treatment plan, your physician will consider your overall health, the kind of renal cancer that you have, and how far the cancer has spread. Surgery is often an initial treatment for renal cancer, but other treatments, such as blocking blood flow, freezing cancer cells, or drug therapy, may be incorporated into a treatment plan.
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