Transitional cell carcinoma
About 5% to 10% of cancers in the kidney are transitional cell carcinomas, also known as urothelial
carcinomas. Transitional cell carcinomas begin in the renal pelvis (where the kidney meets the ureter)
. Under the microscope, the cells look like bladder cancer cells.
Studies have shown that, like bladder cancer, these
cancers are often linked to cigarette smoking and workplace exposures
to certain cancer-causing chemicals.
People with transitional cell carcinoma often have the same signs and symptoms as patients with renal cell
cancer -- blood in the urine and, sometimes, back pain. These cancers are usually treated by surgically
removing the whole kidney and the ureter, as well as the portion of the bladder where the ureter attaches.
Smaller, less aggressive cancers can sometimes be treated with less involved surgeries.Depending on how much cancer
is discovered during surgery, chemotherapy may occasionally be administered. To learn about your options
and the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment, it's crucial to speak with your doctor. If discovered
at an early stage, almost 9 out of 10 kidney transitional cell carcinomas are treatable. If the tumor has
encroached on the ureter wall, the kidney's major structure, or if it is more aggressive (high grade), the
prospects of recovery are significantly reduced.appearance when viewed under a microscope.
After treatment, follow-up visits to your doctor for monitoring with cystoscopy (looking into the
bladder with a lighted tube) and imaging tests are extremely important because transitional
cell carcinoma can come back in the bladder, as well as other places in the body.
Wilms tumor
About 5% of all kidney cancers are Wilms tumors. This type of cancer is almost always found in children and is
extremely rare among adults. If you want to learn more about this type of cancer, call 1-800-ACS- 2345 and ask
for our document, Wilms Tumor.
Renal sarcoma
Renal sarcomas are a rare type of kidney cancer (less than 1% of all kidney tumors) that begin in the kidney's
connective tissue. Renal sarcomas are discussed in more detail in our document, Sarcoma -- Adult Soft Tissue Cancer.
Benign (non-cancerous) kidney tumors
Some types of kidney tumors are benign (non-cancerous).This means they do not usually spread (metastasize) to
other parts of the body, although they can still grow and cause problems. Renal cell adenomas, renal oncocytomas
, and angiomyolipomas are examples of benign kidney tumors.
Renal adenoma
Renal adenomas are the most common form of benign kidney tumor. They are small, slow-growing tumors that often
show up on imaging tests (such as CT scans) when the doctor is looking for something else. They look a lot like
low-grade renal cell carcinomas under a microscope. Rarely, tumors that were first diagnosed as renal adenomas may really be tiny renal cell carcinomas.
. Because they are hard to tell apart, suspected adenomas are often
treated like renal cell cancers.
Oncocytoma
Oncocytomas are a type of benign kidney tumor that can sometimes grow quite large. Similar to renal adenomas, it
can occasionally be challenging to distinguish them from kidney malignancies.. Because oncocytomas do not
normally spread to other organs, removing the kidney can often produce a cure.
Angiomyolipoma
Angiomyolipomas are another rare benign kidney tumor.People who have tuberous sclerosis, a hereditary
disease that also affects the heart, eyes, lungs, and skin, frequently acquire these conditions. These
tumors are composed of several connective tissues, including fat, smooth muscles, and blood vessels..
If they aren't causing any symptoms,
they can often just be watched closely but they may need to be treated if they cause problems (such as bleeding).