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Fact sheet Cancer

Introduction

Our series of fact For more information relating These fact sheets are meant as an sheets have been developed to help to other aspects of kidney cancer introduction only and are not meant you understand more about kidney please see our other fact sheets: to be a substitute for your doctor’s cancer. This fact sheet provides • Diagnosis and Types or healthcare professional’s advice. information about the kidneys, of Kidney Cancer Always consult your doctor or cancer, kidney cancer, who • Localised Kidney Cancer healthcare professional for kidney cancer is likely to affect, • Advanced Kidney Cancer more advice. and symptoms of kidney cancer. • Support for Kidney Cancer • Advanced Kidney Cancer – Dealing with the side effects of medication: targeted therapy • Kidney Cancer – Make the most of your visit to the doctor

What are kidneys? The kidneys are organs of the urinary • Most people are born with • In women the urethra is a short system – the part of the body that two kidneys. tube in front of the vagina. In men makes wee (urine). it is longer and passes through the • Each kidney is bean shaped prostate and penis. and about the size of a fist. • The adrenal gland sits on top of • They are located on either side both kidneys and they produce of your backbone (spine) just Kidneys hormones. Although not part of the under the rib cage. Blood Vessels , kidney cancer can • The main job of your kidneys is to spread to them. Ureter filter and clean blood by removing excess water, salts and waste Bladder products. These filtered materials are turned into urine. Urethra • Urine flows from your kidneys, through narrow tubes called ureters to the bladder where it is stored. The urine passes out of your body through a tube called the urethra.

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What do the kidneys do? Kidneys perform a number of very • Control blood pressure – kidneys Kidneys are the unsung heroes important jobs: keep your blood pressure regular. of the body! Your kidneys have many important roles to play in keeping • Cleaning blood - kidneys filter your • Vitamin D activation – kidneys your body healthy. blood to remove wastes and toxins. manage your body’s production of this essential vitamin, which is • Water balance – kidneys add excess vital for strong bones, muscles and water to other wastes, which makes overall health. your urine.

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease of the cells. Tumours can be divided into Cancer can either be: We are made up of trillions of cells, two main types: • Primary cancer – the original which are the building blocks that • Benign tumours – not cancer cancer. The cancer is named after make up our bodies. Our cells are The cells are in just one area the place where the cancer starts constantly growing and dividing to and do not spread to other in the body. A cancer that has not make new cells. The new cells replace parts of the body spread to other parts of the body old or damaged ones. If our cells do • Malignant tumours – cancer is called a localised cancer. not grow and divide in their normal The cells are able to spread • Secondary/metastatic cancer – and ordered pattern they can form to other parts of the body by cells from the primary cancer a lump known as a tumour. travelling through the blood spread (metastasise) to grow in or lymphatic system. another part of the body. A cancer that has spread from the primary site to other parts of the body is called advanced cancer.

Tumour Benign Not cancer Cells do not spread to other parts of the body

Malignant Localised Cancer Cancer has not spread Cells can spread to other to other parts of the body parts of the body

Advanced Cancer has spread to other parts of the body – metastasised

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What is kidney cancer? Brain metastasis

Kidney cancer is a type of cancer kidney to somewhere else in the body. that starts from the cells of the The most common sites for a kidney Lung metastasis kidney. Early or localised kidney cancer to spread are the lymph nodes, cancer is a cancer that has formed in lungs, brain and bones. Usually there the kidney but has not spread from is only one tumour in one kidney. More the kidney. Metastatic or advanced unusually, two or more tumours occur Bone metastasis kidney cancer is a cancer that has in the same kidney or in both kidneys. spread (metastasised) from the

How common is kidney cancer?

Kidney cancer is a relatively rare 2.5 out of 100 cancers cancer – for every 100 people with are kidney cancer cancer in Australia, only 2 to 3 of them will have kidney cancer. Every year around 3000 people 1 in 3 people with kidney are diagnosed with kidney cancer cancer have advanced in Australia. About 1 in 3 of them kidney cancer will have advanced kidney cancer.

What increases the risk of getting kidney cancer?

The exact cause of kidney cancer Long-term dialysis and is not known but certain factors Obesity acquired cystic disease are known to increase a person’s Being overweight or obese increases Being on dialysis treatment over a risk of developing of kidney cancer. the risk of developing kidney cancer. long period of time may cause kidney These risk factors include: cysts. Kidney cancer may develop High blood pressure from these cysts. Age (hypertension)

High blood pressure has been found Family history of kidney cancer Like most cancers, kidney cancer to be a risk factor for kidney cancer. most often occurs in older people. People who have family members The average age of a person with with kidney cancer, especially a sibling, kidney cancer is 63. Kidney cancer Hepatitis C infection are at increased risk. This accounts for is rare in children. only 3–5% of kidney cancer. People with hepatitis C have an increased risk of developing Specific genetic and Gender kidney cancer. hereditary conditions Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed Medications and There are several genetic and hereditary with kidney cancer as women. toxic substances conditions that, if inherited, may make it more likely for tumours to develop. Long term use of non-steroidal anti- Smoking inflammatory drugs is associated with Many people who get kidney cancer an increased risk of developing kidney do not have any risk factors, and many People who smoke have almost double cancer. People regularly exposed to people who have known risk factors the risk of developing kidney cancer certain chemicals (including asbestos, don’t develop kidney cancer. than non-smokers. Up to one-third lead, cadmium, dry-cleaning solvents, of all kidney cancers are thought to herbicides, benzene or organic solvents, be due to smoking. If a person stops petroleum products) may have an smoking then this additional risk increased risk of kidney cancer. reduces to zero over time. Quitting at any time, at any age is a great idea. It’s never too late.

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What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?

Most people with kidney cancer When kidney cancer does cause Some of these symptoms can also have no symptoms. They are symptoms, they can include: be caused by other illness, such as often diagnosed with kidney • blood in the urine or changes a urine infection or a muscle twinge. cancer when they have a scan in urine colour to dark, rusty So if you experience any of these or X-ray that their doctor ordered or brown (haematuria) symptoms it does not necessarily for another health problem. • pain in lower back or one side mean you have kidney cancer. which is not due to an injury • pain or lump in the abdomen or side However, always talk to your doctor if you are experiencing • weight loss any of these symptoms. • constant tiredness • newly developed high Not all people with kidney cancer blood pressure have symptoms and not all people • fever or night sweats which are not with symptoms have kidney cancer. linked with any other conditions.

What is the treatment for kidney cancer?

In general the treatment for kidney For more information about treatment cancer depends on whether the of localised and advanced kidney kidney cancer is: cancer please see our fact sheets: • Localised – where the cancer Localised Kidney Cancer and has not spread beyond the local Advanced Kidney Cancer. kidney environment, or • Advanced – where the cancer has metastasised to other organs in the body.

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Who can I contact for more support & information?

Both Kidney Health Australia and Kidney Health Australia Cancer Cancer Council offers reliable the Cancer Council offer a free and Support & Information Service cancer information and support to confidential service for further Kidney Health Australia provides anyone affected by cancer, including support and information. support and information for kidney patients, carers, families, friends, and cancer patients, their families and healthcare professionals. They can carers in a variety of different ways. connect you with others who have been through a similar experience Free call: 1800 454 363 and link you to practical, emotional [email protected] and financial support in your area. kidneycancer.org.au forum.kidney.org.au Free call: 13 11 20 cancer.org.au

This is intended as a general For more information introduction to this topic and is not about kidney or urinary meant to substitute for your doctor’s If you have a hearing or healthcare professional’s advice. or speech impairment, All care is taken to ensure that health, please contact the information is relevant to contact the National the reader and applicable to each Relay Service on our free call Kidney Health state in Australia. It should be noted that Kidney Health Australia 1800 555 677 or Information Service recognises that each person’s relayservice.com.au experience is individual and that (KHIS) on 1800 454 363. variations do occur in treatment For all types of services and management due to personal ask for 1800 454 363 Or visit our website circumstances, the healthcare professional and the state one kidney.org.au to access lives in. Should you require further information always consult your free health literature. doctor or healthcare professional.

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What does that word mean?

Adrenal gland – Triangular glands Metastasis – The secondary Tumour – An abnormal growth of on top of each kidney that produce malignant growths at a distance from tissue on or in the body. A tumour may adrenaline and other hormones. a primary site of cancer. If there is be benign or malignant. Other words more than one metastasis they are that may be used include growth, Benign tumour – Not cancer – known as metastases. , lump, mass, or shadow. a tumour that will not spread to the rest of the body. Metastasise – The spread of cancer Ureters – Tubes that carry urine cells from the primary cancer to from each kidney to the bladder. Bladder – The organ that stores urine. other parts of the body to become secondary cancers or metastasis. Urethra – Tube that carries urine Lymph nodes – A small round gland from the bladder to the outside that makes up part of the lymphatic Primary cancer – The original cancer. of the body. system. They contain white blood cells The cancer is named after the part that remove bacteria, cancer cells and of the body that the cancer starts in. Urinary system – The system that foreign particles from the body. removes waste from the blood Prostate – A gland in the and gets rid of it from the body in Lymphatic system – A network male reproductive system that the urine. It includes the kidneys, of tissues, vessels, ducts and nodes produces most of the fluid that ureters, bladder and urethra. that remove excess fluid from tissues, makes up semen. absorb and transport fat, and produce immune cells. Renal – Another word for the kidney.

Malignant tumour – Cancer – Secondary cancer – A cancer that a tumour that grows continuously has spread from the primary cancer or in spurts. Malignant tumours to other parts of the body. Also known can metastasise, which means as metastatic cancer. they can spread to other organs.

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