Don’t Ignore the Early Signs of Kidney Cancer
Friday, March 13, 2015
Did you know that being overweight, using tobacco and having high blood pressure are all risk factors that can increase your chances of developing kidney cancer?
Whether you are at high risk or not, keep an eye open for potential symptoms, such as fatigue and abdominal pain.
“Early detection and treatment can dramatically improve your chances for better recovery,” said Bryan Quinn, MD, a board-certified nephrologist with Carroll County Nephrology and a member of the medical staff at Tanner Health System. “Check out common warning signs of the disease and what to do about them.”
The kidneys have an important job: They filter blood and produce urine to remove waste from the body.
“Bloody urine may be a symptom of something serious,” said Dr. Quinn. “In fact, it is one of the most common warning signs of kidney cancer.”
Other symptoms of kidney cancer include:
- Fatigue
- Recurrent fevers
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Feeling a lump in the abdomen
- Pain in the abdomen
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor. Don't wait until you feel pain. In the early stages, kidney cancer may not cause any soreness.
“This type of cancer can be serious, but those who catch and treat it early have the best chances for a full recovery,” said Dr. Quinn. “Most of the time, treatment involves surgery.”
More than 28,000 Americans, mostly men, learn they have kidney cancer each year. Your risk for kidney cancer increases as you get older, but a few healthy habits can help prevent this kind of cancer. Here's what you can do to guard against the disease:
- Don't smoke. Smoking doubles your chances of developing kidney cancer. Among women, smoking causes one in four cases of the most common kinds of kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight is a risk factor for both women and men.
- Control your blood pressure. If you're a man, this may help you ward off kidney cancer.
Concerned about kidney disease? Call 770.214.CARE or use Find a Doctor to find a nephrology specialist on staff at Tanner Health System.