Cancer - renal pelvis or ureter (Kidney cancer)
Cancer that forms in the pelvis of kidney or the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Causes
- They affect men more often than women and are more common in people older than 65.
- Tumors of the renal pelvis and ureter are usually transitional cell cancers. Approximately 10% are squamous cell carcinomas.
- Long-term irritation of the kidney from harmful substances removed in the urine may be a factor. This irritation may be caused by:
- Analgesic nephropathy
- Smoking
- Patients with a history of bladder cancer are also at risk.
Symptoms
- Unintentional weight loss
- Urinary frequency or urgency
- Urinary hesitancy
- Back pain, located where ribs and spine meet
- Discolored ( bloody) urine
- Burning, pain, or discomfort with urination
- Fatigue
- Flank pain
- Need to urinate frequently at night
Diagnosis
- Physical examination
- Blood investigations
- Urine cytology taken from a urine sample
- Abdominal CT scan
- Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
- X ray chest
Treatment
Surgery to remove all or part of the kidney (nephrectomy) along with lymph nodes.
Prevention:
- Stop over-the-counter pain medicine
- Stop smoking
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