The kidney is one of the vital organs of the body and helps the whole body system function properly. The kidneys are located at the back just under the human rib, and they are two bean-shaped, fist-sized organs. The kidney helps the body to filter the toxic waste from the body as it also stops the build of toxins in the body.
The kidneys do not only filter toxins from the body but also keep the health of the heart and the bones. The kidney creates urine to be released from the body and also creates red blood cells. The kidney also helps to control blood pressure in the body.
Now knowing the importance of the kidney to the body system, kidney cancer is a perilous health problem and in both men and women. It is one of the ten most common cancers. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the other name for kidney cancer, and kidney cancer is most commonly diagnosed in older people.
It is very helpful to be able to detect kidney cancer at its early stage. If kidney cancer is detected quite early, it helps physicians to curtail cancer quickly, thereby preventing cancer from further spread. In the aspects of detecting kidney cancer at its early stage, a regular checkup is crucial.
How do you know that an individual has kidney cancer? What are the symptoms that signal that an individual has kidney cancer? In this article, we are going to discuss some of the symptoms and signs that can be as a result of kidney cancer.
The symptoms of kidney cancer can be seen in various areas in the human body. When we talk about the symptoms of Kidney cancer, some of the cancer signs can also be symptoms of other illnesses. For instance, kidney cancer symptom comes with blood in the urine, but this could also be a sign of urinary tract infection.
It could also be a sign of kidney stones, so it is necessary for any individual that has these symptoms to see the doctor so that he or she can be appropriately treated. Kidney cancer symptoms appear in the urine and lower part of the back. Our body can function typically with a single kidney. When cancer starts, the symptoms are also seen in the way the kidney functions and the way the tumor is spread. This occurs in different ways as the normal function of the kidney may be disrupted when there is a growth on the kidney. Here are the symptoms that may signal the kidney.
Sudden Weight Loss
People with kidney cancer often experience unexpected weight loss. When the tumor spreads to other parts of the organ, the individual may suddenly lose his interest in food, i.e. loss of appetite. This can lead to an unexpected drastic loss of weight even though the individual is not trying to lose weight. So when an individual starts to experience a drastic weight loss, such people should try to see the doctor for proper diagnosis.
Fatigue
Fatigue happens to be one of the most typical symptoms of kidney cancer. This majorly happens during the treatment of cancer. Most patients that are undergoing cancer treatment complain about fatigue and anemia, and they find it difficult to manage.
When it comes to fatigue that is caused by cancer, it’s different from normal weakness and feeling of tiredness. The experience of fatigue that is related to renal cancer affects the individual’s daily activities because it is always persistent. The fatigue experience then intensifies as renal cancer worsens and spreads.
Critical Anemia
Kidney cancer also comes with issues of low red blood cell count. Anemia is a major symptom of kidney cancer because the kidney is known to give the body signals to make red blood cells. Cancer on the kidney can affect that process of signaling, which could lead to anemia.
This could also lead to dizziness and shortness of breath. Anemia causes fatigue to worsen and make the skin look pale. In this regard, it is very important to visit the doctor when you notice that you are feeling unusually tired. This would lead to running a proper test and finding the right treatment for the individual.
Urine in the Blood
In this case, as earlier stated, there are numerous reasons why blood is found in the urine, such as kidney stones and Urinary tract infection. So, it is advisable that the individual goes to visit a doctor to be able to confirm the exact condition so as to be placed on the right treatment.
Blood in the urine is a sign of kidney cancer. It happens to be another common symptom of kidney cancer. It is also called Hematuria, and according to the Kidney Cancer Association, it shows that 40% to 50% of people with kidney cancer experience this symptom. No matter how small the blood is, it can lead to change in the color of the urine. This can sometimes be difficult to detect, which would require a urinalysis to detect a small amount of blood in the urine.
Pain at the Lower Back
Lower back pain is another symptom of kidney cancer. Although most people with kidney cancer don’t report back pain at the early stages of cancer. It is common with kidney cancer patients in the later stages. As times goes on the pain can be a dull one then later a sharp pain on one side below the ribs on the back. Some patients call it side or flank pain, and it is usually severe in the later stages of cancer.
Finally, we should note that some symptoms of kidney cancer can be quite misleading. This is because they could be as a result of other disease or illnesses. So the best thing to do is to see the doctor when one feels any of these symptoms. The best prognosis of cancer is when they are discovered at the early stages before they are much advanced.
