Paolo Boffetta – What Are the Warning Signs of Cancer in Kidneys

It is challenging for people to detect the presence of cancer in their kidneys. In fact, it is generally detected in an ultrasound, or an X-ray for identifying another illness much after the tumor in the kidney has grown, or the disease has spread. Multiple factors lead to the delay in the diagnosis of the tumor or the presence of cancer. The primary one being the tumor or even small tumors are located deep inside the body, and so they are hardly seen or felt during a physical medical test. Once this disease has grown or spread substantially beyond the kidney area generally to the lungs or to the lymph nodes nearby, liver or bones, can one see the signs; however, they are often mistaken for health conditions that are not serious, hence ignored.

Paolo Boffetta – Treating kidney cancer under a qualified oncologist

Paolo Boffetta is an esteemed Italian epidemiologist based in the USA. He is currently the Director of The Institute for Translational Epidemiology in New York. He is involved in cancer research, where he states that smoking and alcohol play a vital role in the development of cancer in most patients. When it comes to kidney cancer, he says one should lookout for the following symptoms-

1. The first warning signs of cancer in the kidneys is blood present in the urine. This condition is called hematuria. It makes the color of the urine dark red or rusty in nature.
2. You might experience pain in your lower back or pressure on one side that refuses to subside.
3. Detect a lump or a mass forming at the side or in the low back region
4. Fatigue
5. Unexplained weight loss or a loss in appetite
6. Persistent fever not caused by any infection
7. Anemia or low count of red blood cells
8. Swelling in the leg or ankles
9. For men, there is a cluster of enlarged veins known as varicocele located around the testicle, primarily on the right.

Visit a good doctor immediately for a complete health check-up

He adds that though these signs might indicate cancer in the kidneys, they can also be the result of other less serious health conditions that can be treated when diagnosed. At the same time, he says, there are again some patients that may experience none of the above warning signs of kidney cancer having completely different symptoms altogether!

As per Paolo Boffetta, tumors in the kidney that are cancerous in nature can be treated with different technologies and treatment plans. The common treatment methods are surgery, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and interventional radiology. There are other treatment options available for the patient, too, and they depend upon what the expert team of cancer specialists suggests when treating the patient. The treatment plan they create depends on the unique needs of the patient and his/her health condition. Every treatment method has its pros and cons, which your doctor will discuss with you if you or a loved one is diagnosed with kidney cancer.