A recent American Cancer Society report estimates that nearly 74,000 new cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed in the country in 2020.

The rate of kidney cancers has been steadily increasing over the years since the 1990s probably due to more vigorous testing though the fatality rates have remained quite stable.

Renal cancer is a form of cancer that has its origin in the kidneys. There are several types of renal cancer and they include renal cell carcinoma, clear renal cell carcinoma, non-clear cell renal carcinoma of different varieties, and lesser known types such as transitional cell carcinoma, wilms tumor, and renal sarcoma.

Being aware of the common signs of renal cancer could save lives through early intervention and treatment.

Symptoms of renal cancer
It’s important to note that renal cancer rarely displays distinct symptoms in the early stages. This makes it challenging to discover as there are no specific screening techniques or routine tests to detect it until it crosses early stages. In many cases, renal cancer is accidentally identified during other routine imaging tests.

Some of the signs that may signal kidney cancer include:

• Traces of blood in urine
  The Kidney Cancer Association of America reports that in nearly 50% of cases, blood in the urine or hematuria is an early sign of renal cancer. The slightest traces of blood can change the color of urine to pinkish or reddish, and brownish in larger quantities. Though this condition may have other causes, it’s one of the signals of renal cancer. In later stages, coughing up blood may be seen.
• Tiredness and low red blood cell count
  Unexplained fatigue even after resting and anemia are common symptoms of many forms of cancer, including renal. Pallor, shortness of breath and dizziness accompany low hemoglobin levels in the blood.
• Weight loss
  Any unexplained weight loss without having specifically tried could signal renal cancer. When this is accompanied by lack of appetite and constant low-grade fever not caused by an infection, one may have to take tests to identify the cause.
• Pain
  Low back pain, or pain in the side that does not have a specific cause and persists for a long time has to be investigated. These two areas are where the kidneys are located and cancerous tumors could cause pain. It may feel like a constant dull ache or pressure, sharp acute pain or stabbing pain on the back or side. However, pain is a symptom that occurs in the later stages of renal cancer.
• Lumps or bulges
  In the abdomen area there may be the presence of cancerous/non-cancerous tumors. However, this is a less common symptom as the kidneys are situated very deep inside the body and abnormal growths in them are not easy to detect from the outside. Thickening or bulges in the back or side under the skin must be immediately investigated.
• Swelling and fever
  Swelling of the ankles/legs and water retention in these regions could signal renal cancer. If this is accompanied by unexplained, intermittent fever, a visit to the doctor is mandatory.