Kidney Cancer Specialist

What is kidney cancer?

Kidney cancer develops in the kidneys, the bean-shaped organs located near your spine.

Approximately 90% of kidney cancers are renal cell carcinoma (RCC), or renal cell adenocarcinoma. RCC typically grows as a single tumor within your kidney, though multiple tumors can occur and both kidneys can be affected.

What causes kidney cancer?

While the exact cause of kidney cancer is unknown, several factors can increase your risk of developing this condition, including:

• Smoking
• Family history
• Being overweight
• Kidney failure treatment
• Being over 45 years of age
• Exposure to workplace chemicals
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

To help reduce your risk of developing kidney cancer, it’s important to quit smoking, maintain a healthy weight through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and to manage hypertension.

What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?

Common symptoms of kidney cancer include:

• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Pain in your side or back
• Intermittent fever and fatigue
• Hematuria (blood in the urine)

In its earliest stages, kidney cancer usually has no symptoms.

How is kidney cancer diagnosed?

Kidney cancer is diagnosed using a variety of tests, including:

• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Tissue samples
• Digital imaging tests

To recommend the most effective kidney cancer treatment, Dr. Kenneson and her team at Bluewater Urology Associates determine the extent of your cancer by identifying its stage. Stages of kidney cancer include:

• Stage 1: confined to the kidney, up to 7 centimeters in size
• Stage 2: larger than 7 centimeters, but still only affecting the kidney
• Stage 3: extending into surrounding tissue and spread to lymph nodes
• Stage 4: spread beyond the kidneys to distant parts of the body like lungs

How is kidney cancer treated?

Surgery is the most common kidney cancer treatment. As one of the leading urology experts in northeast Florida, Dr. Kenneson is the only urologist in the area performing robotic-assisted procedures on men and women.

This innovative treatment method utilizes the world’s most advanced surgical robot, da Vinci® Surgery, to provide the most minimally invasive surgical treatments possible. The benefits of robotic-assisted surgeries include:

• Faster recovery time with less pain
• Minimal scarring and lower risk of infection
• Less trauma to your body and smaller incisions

To learn more about kidney cancer diagnosis, treatment, and robotic surgery, call Bluewater Urology Associates or schedule an appointment online today.