Kidney cancer: what it is, causes, tests, treatment and survival

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs near the middle of the back, one on either side of the spine, which filter waste out of the blood to make urine. Cancer Research UK says kidney cancer is when abnormal cells in either of the kidneys divide and grow in an uncontrolled way. The cells can grow into surrounding tissues or organs and may spread to other parts of the body.

The type of kidney cancer depends on the type of cell it started in. Cancer Research UK says the most common type is renal cell cancer, which starts in the cells lining the tiny tubes inside the nephrons, and the main type of renal cell cancer is clear cell cancer. Other types include papillary cell cancer and chromophobe cell cancer. Upper urinary tract urothelial cancer is a rare cancer that starts in the lining of the kidney or ureter.

The NHS says there are often no obvious symptoms of kidney cancer, and it is usually diagnosed when testing for something else. When there are symptoms, they can include the signs below. Some of these are common and can be caused by many different conditions, and having them does not definitely mean you have kidney cancer, but they should be checked.

There is a separate, fuller guide to kidney cancer symptoms and when to see a GP on this site.

• Blood in your pee.

• A lump or swelling in your back, under your ribs, or in your neck.

• Pain between your ribs and waist that does not go away.

• Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to.

• Feeling tired or having no energy.

• A high temperature that does not go away.

• Sweating a lot, including at night.

The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 now if your pee is smelly, cloudy or has blood in it, it is painful to pee or you need to pee suddenly or more often, you have a pain in your back under your ribs that does not go away, you have pain in your genitals, or you have a lump or swelling in your back, under your ribs or in your neck. It says to get help as soon as possible because these symptoms can be similar to a kidney infection, which can be serious if not treated quickly.

See a GP if you have lost a noticeable amount of weight, a high temperature that does not go away, or no energy or extreme tiredness. The NHS says that if symptoms are caused by cancer, finding it early can mean it is more treatable.

Cancer Research UK says we do not know what causes most kidney cancers, but some factors may increase the risk: getting older, smoking, being overweight or obese and some rare inherited conditions. The NHS says anyone can get kidney cancer, but you may be more likely to get it if you have a close relative with kidney cancer, smoke, are overweight or living with obesity, have high blood pressure, have certain inherited genetic conditions such as tuberous sclerosis, or are having long-term dialysis for chronic kidney disease.

The NHS says you cannot always prevent kidney cancer, but making healthy changes can lower your chances: try to lose weight if you are overweight, quit smoking, and make lifestyle changes if you have high blood pressure, such as cutting back on salt, alcohol and caffeine.

The NHS says that if your GP refers you to a specialist because they think you could have kidney cancer, you will usually have some tests and scans, which may include an ultrasound scan, a CT scan, a cystoscopy (a camera passed through the urethra to look inside the bladder) and a biopsy, which uses a needle to collect a small sample of cells from a kidney for testing. It can take several weeks to get results, which does not mean anything is definitely wrong.

If kidney cancer is confirmed, the NHS says you may need more tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, a chest X-ray and a bone scan, to find out the size of the cancer and how far it has spread (the stage). Cancer Research UK says the type and grade, which describes how abnormal the cells look under a microscope, also help decide treatment.

The NHS says the treatment you have will depend on the type of kidney cancer, where it is and how big it is, whether it has spread, and your general health. The specialist care team explains the treatments, benefits and side effects and works with you to create a treatment plan.

Cancer Research UK says advanced kidney cancer means a cancer that started in the kidney has spread to another part of the body, which is also called metastatic kidney cancer. The NHS says that if you have advanced kidney cancer it might be very hard to treat and it may not be possible to cure it. In that case the aim of treatment is to limit the cancer and its symptoms and help you live longer, and you will be referred to a palliative care or symptom control team who can help manage symptoms and support you and your loved ones.

Cancer Research UK says no one can tell you exactly how long you will live, and that survival depends on different factors. Its figures are for people diagnosed in England between 2016 and 2020.

On the NHS, a GP referral for symptoms that could be cancer leads to tests at a hospital and then care from a team of specialists with a clinical nurse specialist as your main point of contact, according to the NHS. Some people see a private urologist or oncologist for quicker access. The tests and treatments are the same, and any private team should share results with your GP and the NHS cancer team.