Even if technology is improving every day, human health is becoming more and more brittle. October is Cancer Awareness Month. Humans may possess the majority of the tools required to deal with most problems, but some medical conditions are beyond our capacity to comprehend. Cancer is one such illness that can be treated with technology, but there are so many other factors at play that even the most advanced research will fall short.
Since not many people are aware of kidney cancer, it is crucial to at least have a basic understanding of the many forms. It might be difficult to comprehend a condition as complex as kidney cancer and the several varieties of it, but doing so is crucial. However, it is crucial to comprehend what kidney cancer is before learning about the forms and what they include.
Knowledge about Kidney Cancer
According to Dr. Tushar Patil, Senior Consultant-Medical Oncologist at Sahyadri Super Speciality Hospital in Deccan Gymkhana, Pune, “Types of Kidney malignancies encompasses malignancies of the kidney and an adrenal gland that is immediately above the kidney called the suprarenal gland. The two forms of kidney cancer are clear cell type and non-clear cell type. Non-clear cell types are less frequent whereas clear cell types are more prevalent. The rare or ambiguous kinds were further categorized into the three or four recognized chromophobe or papillary forms.
“It is crucial for us to comprehend these categories because, although medicinal care, such as targeted therapy or immunotherapy, may differ significantly depending on whether a patient has a clear or non-clear kind of cancer, surgical management is always the same. The tumors connected to the suprarenal gland, sometimes referred to as the adrenal gland and located above the kidney, are entirely distinct. He said, “They may either leak hormones or not, and the therapy is also quite different from kidney tumors.
The doctor discussed how smoking stands out as the major and most widespread risk factor for renal cell carcinoma when variables causing the disease are taken into account. Lifestyle decisions and exposure to certain substances are two more prominent causes of kidney cancer. Additionally, a portion of instances of kidney cancer are related to family history and genetic susceptibility, which increases the risk of developing other tumor forms.
According to studies, kidney cancer normally progresses slowly. They are not very aggressive, and it does not happen overnight. Traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy may be ineffective or perhaps ineffective for treating kidney cancer. Angiogenesis, which includes the growth of blood vessels, and immune-mediated processes are two recognized cancer pathogenesis pathways in kidney malignancies. These systems are now exploited by systemic therapies.
Additionally, Dr. Patil said, “With regard to surgical care of kidney cancer, the strategy remains the same for big tumors, often including drastic techniques, which require full removal of the afflicted kidney together with the tumour itself. Nephron-sparing surgery, however, is an alternative for patients with tiny tumors or for people wherever it is appropriate. With this operation, the damaged portion of the kidney is solely removed, preserving as much renal function as feasible. Surgery to spare the nephron is possible in the modern medical age.
Kidney Cancer Types
Kidney cancer begins when the cells in the kidneys start to grow out of control, according to Dr. Sajjan Rajpurohit, Senior Director-Medical Oncology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh. It may appear in a variety of ways, each with its own distinct traits.
Renal Cell Carcinoma with Clear Cells
The Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (CCRCC) is one of the most prevalent types of kidney cancer. According to Dr. Rajpurohit, CCRCC generally accounts for between 70 and 75 percent of kidney cancer cases. He highlights the need of early diagnosis and the many treatment options available.
Cancer of the Papillary Renal Cells
An other common kind is papillary renal cell carcinoma. This particular kind of cancer is distinguished by the development of tiny, fingerlike projections inside the tumor.
Renal cell carcinoma with chromophores
The rarer type of kidney cancer, chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, accounts for just 5% of cases.
Rheumatoid oncocytoma
Renal Oncocytoma, however benign, may be difficult to identify from cancerous growths.
Options for Diagnosis and Treatment
For the early identification and effective treatment of kidney cancer, regular checkups are essential. According to Dr. Rajpurohit, diagnosing and treating kidney cancer may be done using a variety of diagnostic techniques, such as imaging, biopsies, and genetic testing.
For kidney cancer, surgery is often the first line of therapy. Nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy are two surgical alternatives, according to Dr. Rajpurohit.