Kidney cancer is a disease that is developed over time in the patients’ kidneys. The development of this type of cancer happens when healthy cells in one, or both, of the kidneys grow and develop out of control, and form a lump, that is medically referred to as a tumor.

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer that is developed in adults. In most cases, it typically begins to develop from within the lining of the tiny tubes that are located in the kidneys. These tubes are referred to as renal tubules – and their primary function is to clean the patients’ blood and to make urine. This specific type of kidney cancer often stays within the kidney, but there are some cases to which it may spread into other parts of the body. The most common parts that are affected include the patients’ bones, lungs, or brain. There are also many different forms of renal cell carcinoma, with the most common cancer type being clear-cell, chromophobe, and papillary renal cell carcinoma.

There are a number of different treatment options for kidney failure. It is very important to partner with your doctors(s) to work together and find out which treatment option is right for you and your circumstances. Patients can choose one of the treatment options that are designed to help filter their blood and also take over a small part of the work that kidneys are supposed to perform, but can no longer do due to damaged kidneys. Another option offers care and treatment without having to replace the work of the damaged kidneys. It is very important for the patient to keep in mind that none of these treatments will help the kidneys get better or recover. However, they are all designed to help the patient feel better.

– Hemodialysis: Treatment that utilizes a machine to move the patients’ blood through a filter while removing wastes.
– Peritoneal dialysis: Treatment that utilizes the lining of a patients belly to filter blood inside the body while removing wastes.
– Kidney transplant: Surgery to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy one.
– Conservative management: Treatment of kidney failure without utilizing dialysis or a kidney transplant. Patient will work with their health care team to manage their symptoms and try to preserve the kidney function and their quality of life as long as possible.

In many cases, kidney failure is typically caused by other health related problems that have done permanent harm to a patients’ kidneys over a certain period of time. It can be caused over the course of many years or just a few.

When a patients’ kidneys are in a damaged state, they are not going to perform as well as the should. If the damage done to the kidneys continues to develop and get worse, the less likely it will be for kidney to be able to do their primary function, and will therefore leave the patient with chronic kidney disease. Kidney failure is the last and most severe stage of chronic kidney disease, and is referred to as end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Diabetes is the absolute most common cause of ESRD in patients. Having high blood pressure is also among the most common causes. Other common problems that may cause kidney failure include some of the following:

– Autoimmune diseases: Can include lupus and Berger’s disease (IgA nephropathy)
– Genetic diseases: Can include polycystic kidney disease
– Nephrotic syndrome: Which is too much protein in the urine
– Urinary tract problems: Can include frequent urination, frequent UTIs, blood present in urine, kidney stones or common pain in the bladder