General Information About Renal Cell Cancer

Renal cell cancer is a type of cancer that forms in tubules of the kidney.

Renal cell cancer (also called renal cell adenocarcinoma) is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the lining of tubules (very small tubes) in the kidney. It is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. There are two kidneys, one on each side of the backbone, above the waist. Tiny tubules in the kidneys filter and clean the blood. They take out waste products and make urine. The urine passes from each kidney through a long tube called a ureter into the bladder. The bladder holds the urine until it passes through the urethra and leaves the body.

Cancer that starts in the ureters or the renal pelvis (the part of the kidney that collects urine and drains it to the ureters) is different from renal cell cancer. For more information, visit Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter Treatment.

Smoking and misuse of certain pain medicines can affect the risk of renal cell cancer.

Renal cell cancer is caused by certain changes to the way renal cells function, especially how they grow and divide into new cells. There are many risk factors for renal cell cancer, but many do not directly cause cancer. Instead, they increase the chance of DNA damage in cells that may lead to renal cell cancer. Learn more about how cancer develops at What Is Cancer?

A risk factor is anything that increases the chance of getting a disease. Some risk factors for renal cell cancer, like smoking, can be changed. However, risk factors also include things you cannot change, like your genetics, getting older, and your family history. Learning about risk factors for renal cell cancer can help you make changes that might lower your risk of getting it.

Risk factors for renal cell cancer include:

• smoking tobacco
• misusing certain pain medicines, including over-the-counter pain medicines, for a long time
• having excess body weight
• having high blood pressure
• having a family history of renal cell cancer
• having certain genetic conditions, such as von Hippel-Lindau disease or hereditary papillary renal cancer

Tobacco use is a leading cause of cancer and death from cancer. Learn more about Tobacco (includes help with quitting).

Having one or more of these risk factors does not mean you will get renal cell cancer. Many people with risk factors never develop renal cell cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk.

Signs of renal cell cancer include blood in the urine and a lump in the abdomen.

These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by renal cell cancer or by other conditions. There may be no signs or symptoms in the early stages. Signs and symptoms may appear as the tumor grows. Check with your doctor if you have:

• blood in the urine
• a lump in the abdomen
• a pain in the side that doesn't go away
• loss of appetite
• weight loss for no known reason
• anemia

Tests that examine the abdomen and kidneys are used to diagnose renal cell cancer.

In addition to asking about your personal and family health history and doing a physical exam, your doctor may perform the following tests and procedures:

• Ultrasound exam uses high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) that bounce off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram.
• Blood chemistry study uses a blood sample to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body. An unusual (higher or lower than normal) amount of a substance can be a sign of disease.
• Urinalysis checks the color of urine and its contents, such as sugar, protein, red blood cells, and white blood cells.
• CT scan (CAT scan) uses a computer linked to an x-ray machine to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the abdomen and pelvis. The pictures are taken from different angles and are used to create 3-D views of tissues and organs. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
• Biopsy is the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. To do a biopsy for renal cell cancer, a thin needle is inserted into the tumor and a sample of tissue is withdrawn. A biopsy may not be needed if the imaging test results provide enough information to make a diagnosis.

After renal cell cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the kidney or to other parts of the body.

The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the kidney or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment.

Some of the tests and procedures used to diagnose liver cancer, such as CT scan and MRI, may be used in the staging process. Other tests include:

• Chest x-ray is a type of radiation that can go through the body and make pictures of organs and bones inside the chest.
• Bone scan is a procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones with cancer and is detected by a scanner.

Some people decide to get a second opinion.

You may want to get a second opinion to confirm your renal cell cancer diagnosis and treatment plan. If you seek a second opinion, you will need to get medical test results and reports from the first doctor to share with the second doctor. The second doctor will review the pathology report, slides, and scans. They may agree with the first doctor, suggest changes or another treatment approach, or provide more information about your cancer.

To learn more about choosing a doctor and getting a second opinion, see Finding Cancer Care. You can contact NCI's Cancer Information Service via chat, email, or phone (both in English and Spanish) for help finding a doctor, hospital, or getting a second opinion. For questions you might want to ask at your appointments, see Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Cancer.

Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.

The prognosis and treatment options depend on:

• the stage of the disease
• your age and general health