It is important that you know that with a timely diagnosis and treatment, kidney cancer is a very survivable condition. If it is found early, the survival rate for kidney cancer ranges from between 79 to 100%. There are more than 100,000 survivors of kidney cancer in the USA today.
About Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer is somewhat more common in men than it is in women. Generally, kidney cancer diagnoses are made in patients who are between the ages of 50 to 70 years old. The most common kidney cancer is called renal cell carcinoma.
What is a Kidney Tumor?
A kidney tumor is an abnormal growth found within the kidney. The tumors are also sometimes referred to as lesions or masses. Tumors in the kidney may be benign, which means they are noncancerous, or malignant, which means they are cancerous. Solid kidney tumors can be benign; however, they prove to be cancerous around 80% of the time. You may also have a tumor that is a fluid-filled area called a cyst. These cysts are usually benign and require no follow-up treatment.
Kidney cancer has the following risk factors associated with it. If any of these risk factors apply to you, you should be extra vigilant about the possibility of developing kidney cancer:
• A family history of kidney cancer
• Chronic kidney failure and/or dialysis
• A diet with high caloric intake or fried/sautéed meat
• Von Hippel Lindau disease
• Tuberous sclerosis