Introduction of Disease
The phenomenon of renal cancer may not be as frequently discussed in the media as other types of cancer, yet it does, in fact, affect a substantial portion of the U.S. and the world population. Also known as kidney cancer, it affects approximately 68,000 American citizens per year (43,000 male patients and 25,000 female ones correspondingly) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Remarkably, studies indicate that the rates of renal cancer are significantly higher among Hispanics and Native Americans than the rest of the U.S. population (Padala et al., 2020).
The phenomenon of kidney cancer implies that malignant cells start emerging and growing within the healthy kidney tissue (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Typically, the disease emerges in the kidney cortex and then spreads to affect the entire urinary system (Padala et al., 2020). Among the key concerns associated with renal cancer, the rapid development of comorbid issues, such as paraneoplastic syndromes, should be mentioned (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). What makes the specified health issue particularly dangerous is the fact that most instances of renal cancer are identified incidentally (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Therefore, it is central to build awareness on the subject matter among target audiences, encouraging people to undergo screenings more frequently and learn to identify likely symptoms as early as possible.
Etiology and Risk Factors
As far as the causes of renal cancer are concerned, the specified disease bears a substantial number of similarities to other cancer types. Specifically, there is currently no known factor that undoubtedly serves as the primary cause of kidney cancer (Padala et al., 2020). Instead, several risk factors that may lead to the development of the disease are typically identified. These include smoking, obesity, and the associated health concerns, such as high blood pressure; presence of specific genetic conditions; presence of kidney stones; a history of Hepatitis C; and a sickle cell trait, to name a few (Padala et al., 2020).
Furthermore, one must mention that the risk of developing kidney cancer increases with age and affects women to a significantly larger degree (Padala et al., 2020). Environmental pollution, namely, carcinogenic substances, is also deemed a significant risk factor (Padala et al., 2020). Finally, poor lifestyle choices leading to issues such as obesity, as well as genetic factors, primarily, mutation in oncogenes and tumor suppression genes, may lead to the development of renal cancer (Padala et al., 2020).
Pathophysiological Processes
The pathophysiological processes occurring in the course of renal cancer are pretty complex and not thoroughly researched yet. Specifically, studies indicate that genetic alterations occur on a cellular level, involving primarily changes within chromosome (Williamson et al., 2020). Namely, the short arm is lost, leaving a significant vulnerability and contributing to a mutation that results in the development of malignant cells (Williamson et al., 2020).
Cancer cells further relocate to develop metastases, demonstrating substantial levels of adaptation (Williamson et al., 2020). The body responds by increasing hypertension (Williamson et al., 2020). This specified outcome can be interpreted as a response to a drop in the efficacy and overall performance of the immune system that renal cancer entails.
Clinical Manifestations and Complications
The signs and symptoms of renal cancer may vary to an extent depending on unique aspects of the patient’s health and the associated characteristics. However, in most cases, instances of kidney cancer are accompanied by symptoms such as blood in urine, persistent pain in the area below the rib, and the presence of a lump on the patient’s side (Campbell et al., 2021). The specified list does not represent the full range of symptoms that renal cancer may entail; nonetheless, they represent an obvious necessity to undergo relevant tests and be diagnosed accordingly.
When having any of the symptoms outlined above, a patient must not hesitate to consult a healthcare expert since the complications associated with kidney cancer are extensive and unpleasant. Gross hematuria, or the presence of blood in urine, can be regarded as a symptom and a significant complication that the disease entails (Campbell et al., 2021). Furthermore, when left unattended, renal cancer may spread further and cause pleural effusion, or an abnormal collection of fluid in the patient’s lungs (Campbell et al., 2021). Therefore, appropriate measures must be applied immediately.
Diagnostics
Diagnosing kidney cancers starts with visiting a general practitioner (GP), who identifies an issue and prescribes relevant tests. The screening options that allow identifying the presence of kidney cancer include an ultrasound scan, an MRI scan, a CT scan, a PET scan, a biopsy, and a cystoscopy (Fankhauser et al., 2021). These specified measures vary in accuracy and invasiveness (Fankhauser et al., 2021).
As a rule, an MRI scan is considered the most accurate option out of the non-invasive ones. In contrast, a biopsy is regarded as the most accurate yet admittedly the least comfortable one (Fankhauser et al., 2021). However, a combination of the specified tests may be used to ensure complete accuracy.
Significance of Test Findings in Relation to the Disease Process
The results of the tests have major significance in relation to the disease process since they inform further decision-making in the treatment process. Namely, the test allows determining the stage of cancer development and, therefore, the most suitable treatment option. For instance, surgery may be considered in scenarios that allow kidney removal or part thereof. In turn, radiotherapy, embolization, and other techniques may be advised in scenarios that do not allow the specified intervention.
References
Campbell, S. C., Clark, P. E., Chang, S. S., Karam, J. A., Souter, L., & Uzzo, R. G. (2021). Renal mass and localized renal cancer: evaluation, management, and follow-up: AUA guideline: part I. The Journal of Urology, 206(2), 199-208.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Kidney cancer.
Fankhauser, C. D., Waisbrod, S., Fierz, C., Becker, A. S., Kranzbühler, B., Eberli, D., Tullio, S., Hugh, M., & Hermanns, T. (2021). Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography, computed tomography, cystoscopy and cytology to detect urinary tract malignancies in patients with asymptomatic hematuria. World Journal of Urology, 39, 97-103.
Padala, S. A., Barsouk, A., Thandra, K. C., Saginala, K., Mohammed, A., Vakiti, A., Rawla, P., & Barsouk, A. (2020). Epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. World journal of oncology, 11(3), 79-87.
Williamson, S. R., Gill, A. J., Argani, P., Chen, Y. B., Egevad, L., Kristiansen, G., Grignon, D., & Hes, O. (2020). Report from the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) consultation conference on molecular pathology of urogenital cancers. III. Molecular pathology of kidney cancer. The American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 44(7), e47-e65.