Kidney cancer is a malignant tumor that originates in the epithelium of the renal tubules, and the incidence is second only to prostate cancer and bladder cancer, ranking third among tumors of the urinary system.
After suffering from kidney cancer, if it is not treated early, it is very likely that distant metastasis will occur, posing a greater threat to the patient's health and life. Therefore, in daily life, once the early symptoms of kidney cancer are found, it must be treated as soon as possible.
What are the symptoms of early kidney cancer?
1. Painless hematuria
For kidney cancer patients, hematuria is visible to the naked eye when urinating. This hematuria phenomenon is intermittent in the early stages and resolves or disappears spontaneously.
Once in the later stages, persistent hematuria will occur. Throughout the process of urination, the color of the urine is blood-colored, but the patient does not have any pain or discomfort from the burning of the urethra.
If the tumor grows faster, or is relatively large, the amount of hematuria will increase, and some blood clots will most likely appear in hematuria.
2. Repeated low back pain
When a tumor appears in the kidneys, the surrounding muscles and nerves are violated, resulting in persistent pain in the patient's lower back. This pain is usually blunt pain, or knife-like pain. If this pain persists, it is generally advanced in kidney cancer.
3. Abdominal mass
There are masses in the abdomen, and there is also a more obvious feature of kidney cancer. 20% of kidney cancer patients develop a lump in the early stages. The mass is located under the rib arch of the epigastric region and moves up and down as the patient breathes. If the patient's abdominal mass cannot be moved, it means that it has entered an advanced stage.
4. Physical weakness
Due to the repeated pain sensations in the patient's waist after suffering from kidney cancer, the patient's sleep, appetite and other aspects are affected accordingly. And because of long-term hemorrhagic urination, it will cause anemia, so that the patient is overly weak all day long, accompanied by weight loss.
So, when the above symptoms of discomfort occur, what kind of tests should be done to confirm the diagnosis of kidney cancer?
1. Imaging examination items
If the patient has the above series of uncomfortable symptoms, he can go to the oncology department of a regular hospital or nephrology department or urology department for a series of examinations.
For example, a series of imaging tests such as chest X-ray, abdominal CT ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, radionuclide bone imaging, PT-CT examination, and renal dynamic imaging are required.
2. Laboratory examination items
Patients also require laboratory tests for a variety of items such as blood count, urine routine, blood glucose, renal function, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, calcium, and liver function and alkaline phosphatase.
If necessary, a nuclide nephrogram should also be performed, as well as a urine cytology and coagulation test. In addition, patients should undergo a puncture biopsy of the renal tumor to obtain the most definitive diagnosis.
In general, patients with early cancer generally have hematuria, low back pain, abdominal mass, and physical weakness. In addition, some patients have abnormal blood pressure and blood sugar, as well as abnormal symptoms of various systems such as skin, endocrine, digestive, nervous, bone and joint, and hematopoiesis.
Therefore, when there is a high suspicion of kidney cancer, you should quickly go to a regular hospital for the above two major types of examinations. If it is determined that it is kidney cancer, only by receiving scientific and standardized treatment as soon as possible and doing a good job of daily nursing work can we maximize the maintenance of our own health.