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Renal cell carcinoma    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Renal cancer; Kidney cancer; Hypernephroma; Adenocarcinoma of renal cells; Cancer - kidney

Treatment

Surgical removal of all or part of the kidney (nephrectomy) is recommended. This may include removal of the bladder or surrounding tissues or lymph nodes.

Renal cell carcinoma is often resistant to radiation therapy and therefore, it is not commonly used for treatment. Hormonal therapy may reduce the growth of the tumor in some cases.

Medications such as alpha-interferon and interleukin have been successful in reducing the growth of some renal cell carcinomas, including some with metastasis. Chemotherapy may be used in some cases, and its results vary.

Prognosis

The outcome varies depending on the amount of metastasis. The 5-year survival rate is around 60 to 75% (if the tumor is in the early stages). If it has spread to the lymph nodes, 5-year survival is around 5 to 15%. If it has spread to other organs, the probable outcome is poor (with 5-year survival at less than 5%).

Complications

• Hypertension
• Metastasis (spread) of the cancer

Call Your Health Care Provider If:

Call your health care provider any time blood in the urine develops. Also call if any other symptoms of this disorder occur.

Ency. home > Disease > R > Renal cell carcinoma

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