Kidney Cancer Symptoms & Risks
Symptoms
In early stages, kidney cancer may not cause any noticeable symptoms. As the tumor grows, you may begin to experience some of the following symptoms:
- Blood in the urine
- Pain in the lower back
- Tiredness
- Feeling a lump on your side or lower back
- Losing weight
- Loss of appetite
While these symptoms may indicate kidney cancer, they are also common for a number of non-cancer related conditions. It is important to check with your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms to get an accurate diagnosis.
Risk Factors
There are a number of factors that may affect your chances of developing kidney cancer during your life time. Some of these factors can be changed while other factors are things you cannot control. Certain habits and lifestyle behaviors can have a significant impact on a person's risk for developing kidney cancer. Also, factors such as age and family history can play a role in determining a person's risk level. Even if a person has a risk factor, we often cannot determine how large of a role it played in the development of cancer.
Some common risk factors for kidney cancer include:
- Smoking
- Alcohol use
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Family history of kidney cancer
- Age
- Gender
- Race
