Frequent health examinations and screening for people who discovers the symptoms on the early state, which helps to prevent the chance of getting kidney tumours at the early stage.
Constant tiredness, weakness, or swelling in the legs are often Known as signs of ageing or lifestyle stress. But sometimes, these symptoms point to something far more serious such as a kidney tumour.
What Is a Kidney Tumour?
A kidney tumor, or renal cell carcinoma, occurs due to the abnormal unchecked growth of cells in the kidney. The risk factors for kidney cancer include long-standing diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, and family history, but the exact cause is not well understood in many instances
How It Shows Up
The challenge with kidney tumors is that they often grow insidiously. Early on, symptoms and signs may be absent or mistaken for another health condition. As the kidney tumor progresses, one might experience any number of the following symptoms:
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- Chronic fatigue or weakness
- Swelling of the legs or ankles
- Pink or red blood in the urine
- Weight loss for no reason
- Pain in back or side
Shortness of breath, if the tumor has spread or affected blood flow.
Due to the deep location of the kidneys in the body, most of the tumours are discovered accidentally while scanning for other health issues.
How It’s Diagnosed and Treated
Diagnosis typically starts with imaging studies like ultrasound, CT, or MRI that outline the tumor size and extent of spread. If the tumour has invaded major blood vessels-like the inferior vena cava, which is the large vein that carries blood to the heart-then surgery becomes difficult but imperative.
Treatment depends on the size of the tumour and its spread. In most instances, doctors conduct a radical nephrectomy, a surgical procedure that entails the removal of the affected kidney. In cases where the tumour extends into major veins or nearby organs, a team involving urologists, vascular surgeons, and other specialists works together to ensure complete and safe removal.
A Case in Point
At Manipal Hospital, Sarjapur Road, an elderly patient with long-standing diabetes came in with swelling, fatigue, and breathlessness symptoms he had initially dismissed as ageing. Tests revealed a massive kidney tumour that had extended into a major vein, nearly blocking blood flow to the heart. A multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Manohar Bhadrappa, Chief of Urology and Renal Transplant Surgery, and Dr. Joseph Xavier, Chief of Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery, performed a high-risk surgery to remove the tumour and restore normal circulation.
Dr. Manohar explained, “This was one of the most complex renal surgeries we encountered, mainly because the tumour had extended deep into the main vein of the body. Managing such high-risk cases requires not just surgical skill but seamless collaboration between multiple specialties.”
Dr. Manohar further explained, Radical nephrectomy is advised when the tumour has advanced to a stage where partial nephrectomy is no longer possible, meaning it cannot be entirely removed while preserving the kidney. However, if detected early, a partial nephrectomy can be performed to remove the tumour while saving the kidney. This highlights the importance of the role of screening and early diagnosis to help prevent renal tumours effectively at the early stage.
Dr. Joseph Xavier noted, “Complex cases where tumours extend into major blood vessels or heart pose major surgical and cardiovascular complications. Thus in this procedure we had to maintain the patient's heart and circulation throughout the procedure and ensure a safe recovery, hence we had to carefully control the tumour’s growth in the major blood vessel.”
The patient recovered gradually after the successful surgery, recovering strength and mobility in a matter of few days.
Prevention:
Kidney tumour prevention relies on maintaining a healthy lifestyle by following few simple changes:
1) Quit smoking
2) controlling blood pressure
3) keeping a healthy weight
4) being physically active
5) Avoiding getting exposed to harmful chemical/substance
Frequent health examinations and screening for people who discovers the symptoms on the early state, which helps to prevent the chance of getting kidney tumours at the early stage.
The Takeaway
The fact is that kidney tumours are silent yet not harmless. Regular health check-ups can make all the difference, especially in those with risk factors. Also, it calls for awareness of one's body-even subtle changes like tiredness, swelling, or changes in the passage of urine could be an early warning. And as doctors very often say, early diagnosis isn't about finding disease; it's about giving life a fighting chance.
