Kidney Cancer: Diagnosis & Treatment

Overview

Kidney cancer is classified based on its location into two main types:

• Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) – The most common form, accounting for 80% of all malignant kidney tumors.

• Renal Pelvis Cancer – Less common but still significant.

The remaining cases primarily involve benign kidney tumors.

Kidney cancer is usually primary and remains asymptomatic in early stages. Symptoms typically develop when the tumor reaches a larger size and begins to compress surrounding organs.

Key symptoms indicating advanced disease or metastasis:

• Flank pain

• Hematuria (blood in the urine)

• A palpable mass in the side or upper abdomen

However, all three symptoms appear together in only 10–15% of cases. In late stages, additional signs may include weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, and metastases affecting the lungs or brain.

Diagnosis

A comprehensive diagnostic approach includes:

• Ultrasound – Initial screening for kidney abnormalities

• CT scan (Abdominal & Pelvic) – Gold standard for assessing tumor size and spread

• MRI – Provides detailed imaging, especially in cases requiring surgery

• Bone Scan & PET-CT – Evaluates potential metastases

• Biopsy – Performed when the diagnosis remains unclear

Treatment

The choice of treatment depends on tumor type and stage.

Unlike many other cancers, kidney cancer does not respond well to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Instead, surgical treatment is the primary approach:

• Radical Nephrectomy – Complete removal of the kidney, including the tumor, surrounding fat, fascia, renal pelvis, and part of the ureter.

• Partial Nephrectomy – Kidney-sparing surgery performed when the tumor is small. It can be conducted via:Open surgery
  Laparoscopic surgery
  Robotic-assisted surgery
  

For patients who are not surgical candidates or have a single kidney, alternative treatments include:

• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) – Uses heat to destroy cancer cells

• Cryotherapy – Freezes cancer cells to prevent growth

• Renal Artery Embolization – Recommended in cases where surgery is not possible due to:Tumor invasion into nearby organs
  Advanced age or comorbidities
  Patient refusal of surgery
  

Cost of Diagnosis & Treatment:

• 15,000,000 – 17,000,000 KRW