Kidney cancer

Often, there are no early warning signs of kidney cancer. But it still helps to know the possible symptoms to look out for.

The main symptoms include:

• Blood in the urine 
• A lump or mass in the abdomen or flank (sides of your body between your ribs and hips)
• Persistent pain in your side 

• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Tiredness
• A high temperature 
• Sweating
• High blood pressure
• Anaemia 

If you notice any symptoms that could be related to kidney cancer, it’s important to see a doctor straight away. It might not be cancer, but it’s always better to get checked so any treatment can start without delay.

You can speak to your GP, who may refer you to a specialist if appropriate. Or you can book an appointment with us to see a specialist quickly, who will check your symptoms and provide the tests you need without delay.

At GenesisCare, we diagnose and treat a wide range of cancers, including kidney cancer, and we understand that this can be a very worrying time. Our diagnostic services are world-class, and our commitment is to give you the answers you need, as quickly as possible. 

The steps to diagnosing kidney cancer involve several tests and scans, including: 

• Blood tests
• Cystoscopy
• Kidney ultrasound
• CT scan
• MRI scan
• Percutaneous kidney biopsy

You may also have other advanced tests to find out more about your cancer and which treatments are likely to be most effective. Some of these tests are also used to assess how well your treatment is working.

The stage describes the cancer’s size and spread. This helps your doctor suggest the best treatment path for your diagnosis. 

• Stage 1 – the earliest stage, where the cancer is less than 7cm big and is completely inside the kidney 
• Stage 2 – the cancer is completely inside the kidney but is more than 7cm wide
• Stage 3 – also called locally advanced, where the cancer has grown into the outer kidney tissue (fascia), or spread to lymph nodes or veins 
• Stage 4 – also called advanced, where the cancer has grown outside the outer kidney tissue (fascia) or spread to the adrenal glands or other parts of the body 

The stages of kidney cancer can be complex. Your consultant is the best person to explain the stage of your cancer and what it means for your outlook.

Treatment depends on the stage, size, and type of kidney cancer, as well as your general health and treatment wishes.

The main kidney cancer therapy is surgery. You may have other treatments alongside, after or instead of surgery. Other treatments for kidney cancer include:

• Ablation – a less invasive technique than surgery that aims to destroy the tumour using cryotherapy (extreme cold temperatures) or radiofrequency
• Immunotherapy – newer treatments that encourage your immune system to find and destroy cancer cells
• Targeted therapies – newer treatments that target kidney cancer cells or the processes they depend on to survive
• Radiotherapy – High energy radiation targeted directly at tumours to destroy cancer

Chemotherapy is not often used for kidney cancer, as most types do not respond to this treatment. 

The most common procedure for early-stage kidney cancer is partial nephrectomy. Your surgeon removes the part of the kidney where there are tumours, leaving the rest of the kidney behind. 

For larger areas of cancer, a radical nephrectomy may be performed to remove the whole kidney. During this procedure, your surgeon typically also removes your adrenal gland, nearby lymph nodes and fatty tissue surrounding the kidney.

It’s possible to live a healthy life after having a kidney removed due to cancer. It’s important to look after your remaining kidney with the correct lifestyle, including limiting alcohol, avoiding smoking, and a balanced diet.

Ablation therapy may be an option if your kidney tumour is small and you aren’t able to have surgery.

The options include:

• Cryotherapy – using extreme cold to freeze and destroy the tumour
  
• Radiofrequency – using high-energy radio waves to heat and destroy the tumour

As researchers know more about non-small cell kidney cancers, they have developed new treatments to target the processes it depends on to survive and grow.

Targeted therapies are selected based on the genetics of your cancer, and can include: 

• Angiogenesis inhibitors – block the protein VEGF, which promotes new blood vessel formation and helps kidney tumours grow
• RTK inhibitors – block proteins found near and on the surface of the kidney cancer cells which help the tumour grow
• mTOR inhibitors – suitable for advanced kidney cancers, which works by blocking mTOR protein that drives kidney cells to grow and divide

Immunotherapy helps your immune system to recognise and fight the cancer, which can help treat some kinds of advanced kidney cancers.

• Checkpoint inhibitors – block signals that stop the immune system from attacking the kidney cancer cells
• Cytokines – boost your immune system to fight against kidney cancer cells

External beam radiation therapy (ERBT) may be recommended if you’re not suitable for surgery or if you only have one kidney to begin with.

Radiotherapy techniques for kidney cancer include:

• Intensity-modulated arc therapy (IMRT) – radiation beams are shaped to surround the kidney and avoid damaging healthy tissue 
• Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) – an innovative technique where intensive radiotherapy is given in just five sessions 
• SABR on the MRIdian – using real-time MRI scanning for high-precision treatment that switches off the beam if the tumour moves out of target 

Risk factors increase the chances of developing kidney cancer. Even without risk factors, you can still get cancer – never ignore symptoms.

Known risk factors for kidney cancer include:

• Age – kidney cancer is more common in people over 60
• Sex – more women than men develop kidney cancer
• Smoking – the more you smoke, the higher your risk
• Weight – being above your healthy weight 
• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease – especially if you are having dialysis 
• People with diabetes – especially if you need insulin treatment
• Family history – including certain related genetic conditions 

We work with expert teams of renal surgeons who are specially trained in surgical removal of benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) tumours of the kidney.

If your consultant recommends surgery, this can be arranged conveniently at one of our comfortable partner hospitals. You can then continue any other treatments at GenesisCare.

We are the leading private provider of radiotherapy in the UK, offering world class expertise and state-of-the-art facilities that specialise in advanced radiotherapy techniques. Our renowned oncologists, radiotherapists and dietitians work together to ensure that you receive the best possible care.

We’re proud to offer fast access to the latest technologies and treatments that have been proven to make a difference. 

At our centres in Oxford and London, we’re equipped with the UK’s first MRIdian MR Linac machine. It delivers stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), a high-precision form of radiotherapy, and stops radiation automatically if the tumour moves out of the target area.

This highly accurate technique provides an alternative treatment for patients with kidney cancer who can’t have surgery or other treatments and makes reirradiation possible after previous radiotherapy.

Find out more about MRIdian for kidney cancer.

We offer palliative radiotherapy for advanced kidney cancer. It’s a shorter course of radiotherapy that can help shrink, slow down the growth, or control your symptoms to give you a better quality of life. We understand that fast access to palliative care is paramount and can usually provide treatment within 48 hours of a planning imaging scan.

Every patient is supported through their journey with consultant-led integrative cancer care, which combines medical treatment with life-changing approaches including exercise medicine, wellbeing therapies and psychological support.

You’ll have optional access to a wellbeing expert to guide you through holistic therapies of your choice, such as counselling, acupuncture, massage and reflexology, through our unique partnership with the Penny Brohn UK charity.

Exercise medicine includes a 12-week personalised programme provided by a specialist physiotherapist, available at selected centres, with techniques shown to improve outcomes for cancer patients and reduce the impact of cancer by enhancing quality of life, reducing fatigue and improving strength.