6 Symptoms of Kidney Tumors

More than 76,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed yearly. Cancer shows up as a tumor on the kidneys, but not all masses are cancerous. A tumor is any abnormal growth in the body. One in four kidney tumors is benign. 

More aggressive and larger tumors are ones that are likely to show symptoms. But, know that many kidney tumors, especially smaller and benign tumors, don’t usually show symptoms. That can make diagnosis of kidney cancer tricky.

Here are signs of a tumor to watch out for according to experienced urologist W. Cooper Buschemeyer III, MD of Buschemeyer Urology and what to do. 

Signs of a tumor 

Symptoms of a tumor are concerning and could indicate kidney cancer. Be vigilant and make an appointment at our office if you notice: 

• Blood in your urine
• Low back pain on one side that isn’t associated with an injury
• A lump on your side or lower back
• Extreme fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Pain between the ribs and hip
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever that is not caused by an infection and that doesn’t go away
• Anemia 

Of course, these symptoms can be associated with a number of different conditions. That’s why it’s important to seek care just in case. The earlier cancer is detected, the more likely you can avoid complications. 

Diagnosis of a tumor

Most of the time, a kidney tumor is found by chance. A doctor may stumble upon it when looking at another problem. There is no routine screening for kidney tumors. 

If we suspect you have a kidney tumor, you’ll come to Buschemeyer Urology for a physical exam and review of your medical history. Dr. Buschemeyer runs blood tests to evaluate your organ function and look for signs of disease. He’ll also have you undergo a urinalysis to check for infection, blood, and protein in the urine. 

He’ll run serum creatinine levels and other kidney function tests to check your kidney’s ability to get rid of waste. You may also undergo digital screenings, like ultrasound, CT scans, or MRI to diagnose and determine if the tumor has spread. 

Types of tumor

Dr. Buschemeyer takes a small sample of the tumor during a biopsy procedure and sends it off to a lab to determine if the tumor is cancerous. The lab will determine if the kidney is:

Renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of cancerous kidney tumor. These tumors usually occur in the main area of the organ and can appear as a singular tumor or multiple tumors. 

Benign kidney tumors

Benign tumors only make up a small percentage of kidney masses. They can grow quite large, but don’t spread to other organs. 

Wilms tumors 

Wilms tumors are almost exclusive to children and rarely occur in adults.

If you do have a kidney tumor, Dr. Buschmeyer will do everything possible to successfully treat the cancer and protect your kidney function. 

Set up a consultation at Buschemeyer Urology to have any symptoms evaluated and learn about treatment options. Call one of the Texas offices today or use this website to arrange your appointment.