Kidney cancer presents a unique set of challenges.  It does not present a clear genetic picture, making it difficult for one to get out in front of the disease.  This from Sallie McAdoo, the medical director of the Kidney Cancer Association on the @CancerInterviews podcast.  Because ultrasounds and CT scans often provide false positives when detecting small tumors on the kidney, she says active surveillance is often the best way to go when such tumors are detected.

 

Many cancer diagnoses can be the result of inherited conditions, but not so with kidney cancer.  Sallie says many kidney cancer diagnoses are tied to metabolism.  As such, the notion of eating well to prevent cancer is even more crucial because diet and metabolism can really affect the growth of the kidney and the tumors that are there. 

 

Another area regarding kidney cancer that is murky is that doctors cannot say there is a specific age in which one should begin getting checked for kidney cancer.  Elderly people can be diagnosed with kidney cancer, as well as those in their late teens, says Sallie. 

 

She says the best person to watch out for your possibility of kidney cancer is yourself.  That includes paying attention to your body.  If you experience recurring lower back pain or fatigue, seeking medical attention is a good idea.

 

Sallie McAdoo says because many ultrasounds or CT scans for kidney tumors yield false positives, when tumors are small, it is better to engage in active surveillance, as opposed to rushing into a treatment regimen that could do more harm than good.  By having these scans periodically, if kidney tumors grow to an extent in which they warrant treatment, the patient will then be positioned to surgically address them.  However, Sallie says that active surveillance is only an effective tool if the patient goes in for their appointments when they are supposed to go in.  A sufficient interval for such visits either once every six or twelve months.  According to Sallie, the best interval is something that should be decided by doctor and patient.

 

Sallie also says kidney cancer patients should be open to being involved in clinical trials.  She says patients taking part in clinical trials will get the standard of care and access to the forefront of new drugs designed to combat kidney cancer.  With more than 200 existing kidney cancer clinical trials, there are many options for patients to explore.

 

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Kidney Cancer Association: https://www.kidneycancer.org