Understandingrenal cell carcinoma
The most common kidney cancer in adults — often silent until it is advanced.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of the proximal convoluted tubule — part of the very small tubes in the kidney that transport primary urine.
The body is remarkably good at hiding the symptoms, and as a result people with RCC often have advanced disease by the time it is discovered.
of kidney cancers in adults are RCC
5-year survival when the cancer has not spread
Signs thatbring patientsto the doctor
Share of people with each symptom at the time they first seek medical attention.
Bar scale: 0–50%.
Where itmost commonly travels
Immunotherapy and targeted therapy have improved the outlook for metastatic RCC.
Surgery first, then targeted therapy
Initial treatment is most commonly either partial or complete removal of the affected kidney(s).
Where the cancer has not metastasised (spread to other organs) or burrowed deeper into the tissues of the kidney, the 5-year survival rate is 65–90% — but this is lowered considerably when the cancer has spread.
Present in about 0% of people with RCC
Conditions caused by hormones produced by the tumour or by the body’s attack on it — most commonly affecting tissues the cancer has not invaded.
- High blood calciumHypercalcaemia
- PolycythaemiaOverproduction of erythropoietin
- ThrombocytosisToo many platelets — clotting & bleeds
- Secondary amyloidosisProtein deposits in tissues