Use Intermountain Connect Care®
Learn More.
Most people are born with two kidneys. They are placed on either side of the spine just above your waist. The kidneys remove waste from your body, produce hormones to help control blood pressure, and tell your bones when to make more red blood cells. If cancer cells begin to grow in the kidneys, they can cause kidney cancer.
The three most common types of kidney cancers are:
Wilms tumor and renal cell cancers form in the tiny tubules of the kidney. The tubules filter waste and make urine.
Some possible signs and symptoms of kidney cancer include:
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, contact your healthcare provider. These symptoms may also be caused by other medical conditions, so it is important to see your doctor.
It is not clear what causes kidney cancer. Certain risk factors increase the chances that a person will develop kidney cancer. Risk factors are anything that can increase your chances of getting a disease. Risk factors include:
Having a risk factor, or several risk factors, does not mean that you will get kidney cancer.
To diagnose kidney cancer of kidney cancer, your doctor will ask about your medical history and do a physical exam. You will likely need tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms. The following tests may be used to confirm or rule out kidney cancer:
If left untreated, kidney cancer can spread to other parts of the body. You will work with your cancer specialists to choose a treatment plan that’s best for you. When choosing a treatment plan, one of the most important factors is how far the cancer has grown or spread (referred to as the stage of the cancer). Depending on the stage, you may need a combination of different treatments.
There is no known way to prevent kidney cancer. However, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling high blood pressure, not smoking, and avoiding exposure to harsh chemicals may reduce your risk of developing kidney cancer.