Kidney cancer is one of the most dangerous urological pathologies, which in a large percentage of cases leads to death. But making this diagnosis should absolutely not be taken as a death sentence, since over the past decade medicine has stepped far forward, and new methods for diagnosing and treating oncological pathology help to significantly increase the life expectancy of patients. An important role in predicting the results of treatment is played by the timeliness of the diagnosis of kidney cancer. That is why it is so important to know what symptoms indicate the development of a kidney tumor.
The main symptoms of kidney cancer and its metastases
The clinical picture of kidney cancer can be very diverse, and depends on the prevalence of the pathology and the involvement of metastatic cells in other organs and lymph nodes. In some cases, symptoms of kidney cancer may be absent for a long time, and occur only when the tumor metastasizes. However, there are several main symptoms that are most characteristic of kidney neoplasms. In addition, it is important to remember the characteristic signs of a metastatic lesion of a particular organ in kidney cancer.
Symptoms of kidney cancer:
- hematuria is the most important symptom of kidney cancer;
- other symptoms that occur with kidney cancer;
- what are the symptoms of metastases to other organs.
Hematuria is the most important symptom of kidney cancer
Hematuria, or the discharge of blood in the urine, occurs in almost 90% of patients with kidney cancer, and is the most characteristic symptom of this pathology. However, hematuria can also be a sign of some other urological diseases. With a neoplasm of the kidney, hematuria occurs spontaneously or against the background of painful sensations in the area of the projection of the kidneys, that is, in the lower back. A characteristic feature is also the presence of blood clots up to 10 cm long, which can depart after an attack of renal colic with hematuria. The excretion of blood in the urine can be single, or last for several hours or days, and then stop spontaneously. The next episode of hematuria may occur after a few days, months or even years, so even with a single case of hematuria, the patient must be examined.
Other symptoms that occur with kidney cancer
Nearly half of patients with renal colic experience pain that may be dull or sharp, present all the time, or come on in fits like renal colic. Another characteristic symptom of kidney cancer is palpation of a neoplasm in the kidney area, but often this symptom is not detected by the patient himself, but by the doctor during the examination. Often the earliest symptoms of kidney cancer are symptoms of general intoxication of the body, which patients may not attach much importance to. These symptoms include general weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss, fever and chills. Another important symptom of kidney cancer is varicocele, which occurs already in the later stages of the disease.
What are the symptoms of metastases to other organs
In some cases, the symptoms of kidney cancer may be absent for a long time, and appear only after the metastasis of a malignant tumor, which is why it is important to know what symptoms occur when the tumor metastasizes to different organs:
- metastases to the liver - can be single or multiple, manifested by fever, weight loss, weakness and excessive sweating;
- bone metastases - the main symptom is pain and swelling over the site of the lesion;
- metastases in the lungs - accompanied by fever, the presence of a wet cough, sometimes blood impurities can be observed in the sputum. A characteristic symptom is also pain in the side or behind the sternum;
- metastases in the opposite kidney - manifested by hematuria and symptoms of renal failure;
- metastases in the brain - are manifested by the occurrence of various neurological symptoms.
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