[Health Tip] Today is 'World Kidney Cancer Day'... How to Diagnose and Treat

June 18th every year is designated as "World Kidney Cancer Day" by the International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC) in collaboration with academic societies and associations worldwide to raise awareness of kidney cancer. Kidney cancer often shows symptoms only when the tumor grows large enough to deform the kidney structure or push against other organs, which frequently leads to delayed diagnosis.

Kidney cancer stock photo. [Image source=Getty Images]

As of 2020, the number of kidney cancer cases in South Korea was 5,946. Among these, 4,135 cases were male, significantly higher than the 1,811 cases in females. Professor Yoo Goo-han from the Department of Urology at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital explained, "The reason it appears more frequently in males is attributed to higher smoking and obesity rates. Hypertension is also known as a risk factor," adding, "The risk increases proportionally with the amount and duration of smoking, and smokers are known to have about twice the risk of developing kidney cancer compared to non-smokers."

In the early stages, kidney cancer often presents no noticeable symptoms. Symptoms that appear as kidney cancer progresses include pain in the side, blood in the urine, or a palpable lump in the side or upper abdomen. The problem is that cases exhibiting all three symptoms simultaneously account for only 10-15% of the total. Fortunately, with the recent widespread use of health screenings, early detection through imaging diagnostics such as abdominal ultrasound has become more common.

If detected at stage 1 and treated early, the 5-year survival rate reaches 88-100%. Because early diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment are crucial, it is important to undergo regular health check-ups at hospitals. Professor Yoo stated, "More than half of the kidney cancers discovered are found incidentally during screenings or other examinations," and added, "Metastatic or recurrent renal cell carcinoma is often difficult to cure, so it is best to detect it as early as possible and perform minimally invasive treatment."

Professor of Urology at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital with a long history.

Treatment for renal cell carcinoma depends on the cancer’s progression, the patient’s age, overall condition, and the presence of other accompanying diseases. Currently, surgical removal of the cancer is the best option. If the tumor is small, it can be removed while preserving the surrounding kidney tissue. However, if the tumor is large or invades major blood vessels, the tumor along with the kidney is removed. When there is no metastasis to other organs, radical nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy is performed through open surgery, laparoscopy, or robotic surgery to excise the tumor.

After tumor removal, patients can resume daily activities within 2 to 4 weeks. Recurrence of renal cell carcinoma after surgery mostly occurs within 1 to 2 years, but there have been reports of recurrence even after 10 to 15 years, so follow-up examinations to monitor recurrence or progression are necessary. Regular follow-up is conducted through imaging tests such as CT or MRI. If recurrence occurs during follow-up, chemotherapy should be considered.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.