Kidney Cancer Specialist
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ForeFront Radiology
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology based out of Fresno, CA
Receiving a diagnosis of kidney cancer is understandably devastating, but with current advances in cancer treatments, your prospects are now much brighter. If you have kidney cancer, the board-certified interventional radiologists at ForeFront Radiology in Fresno, California, can help. They use cutting-edge techniques like image-guided ablation of kidney tumors, as well as the latest radiation therapy treatments. Call ForeFront Radiology to find out more or book an appointment online today.
Kidney Cancer Q & A
What is kidney cancer?
Kidney (renal) cancer is a disease in which cells in your kidneys mutate and grow to form a tumor. Cancerous or malignant tumors can cause kidney failure and lead to premature death.
The type of kidney cancer you're most likely to get is renal cell carcinoma, which originates in the tiny tubes inside your kidneys.
Another form — transitional cell carcinoma — is responsible for about 15% of adult kidney cancers. It develops in your renal pelvis, which is the area where urine collects in your kidneys before transferring to your bladder.
What causes kidney cancer?
Some of the more likely causes of kidney cancer are:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Chronic hypertension (high blood pressure)
- An excess of certain pain medicines
- Family history of kidney cancer
- Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
- Tuberous sclerosis
Kidney cancer is more common in men than women and rare in people younger than 45. Most cases occur in people around age 64. Kidney cancer is one of the 10 most common types of cancer in the United States, but with prompt diagnosis and treatment, you have a good chance of survival.
What symptoms does kidney cancer cause?
It's likely that you won't experience any symptoms when kidney cancer first develops. As the disease advances, you might experience:
- Blood in your urine
- Loss of appetite
- Unplanned weight loss
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- A lump in your abdomen
- Persistent pain in your back, side, or abdomen
Kidney cancer that spreads beyond your kidneys (metastasizes) could affect your lungs, causing shortness of breath and making you cough up blood.
How is kidney cancer treated?
The ForeFront Radiology team prepares a personalized treatment plan for you that accounts for the type of kidney cancer you have and its severity, plus factors like your age and general health.
One of the kidney cancer treatments they specialize in is image-guided kidney tumor ablation. This procedure is a minimally invasive approach that uses heat to destroy the cancer cells.
The team uses digital imaging technology to guide the placement of a needle into the tumor. They then deliver radiofrequency or microwave energy to heat the cancer cells.
Ablation is an effective choice for patients who only have one kidney or where surgery might prove difficult. Other options for treating kidney cancer include:
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy or biologic therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgical removal of the tumor
Surgical options include laparoscopic kidney removal, segmental resection (kidney-sparing surgery), and partial or radical nephrectomy. The ForeFront Radiology team works with surgical and oncology specialists to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatments.
If you're worried about kidney cancer, call ForeFront Radiology today or book an appointment online.