Hospital Parque warns about factors that cause kidney cancer

Hospital Parque warns about factors that cause kidney cancerED

Obesity, smoking and genetic predisposition, as well as exposure to cadmium and other industrial chemicals such as trichlorethylene or tetrachlorethylene, are major risk factors for kidney cancer, scientists say. nephrologist at the Rosa Elena Perez Morales Park Hospital.

On the occasion of World Kidney Cancer Day, Perez Morales notes that this tumor represents 2% of all existing tumors, showing an increasing trend in recent years, with an increase in the number of cases diagnosed at an early stage, which improves the prognosis of treatment. . In this regard, it should be noted that a greater presence is observed in men, whose age of onset is between 60 and 70 years.

Keys to fighting it

Hospital Parque’s nephrologist explains that prevention of these risk factors, together with early diagnosis and adequate treatment, are the key to combating this pathology. He adds that “most of these tumors respond to incidental detection on ultrasound.”“performed for another reason and usually does not cause any symptoms.”

. However, he emphasizes that “you need to be alert for the presence of lower back pain, blood in the urine, unexplained weight loss and fever.”

It states that to diagnose this type of cancer, an adequate clinical history, a complete physical examination, as well as blood tests and an ultrasound of the kidneys and urinary tract must be performed. Likewise, treatment planning requires scanning to determine the location and size of the tumor and its vascularity, and in some cases other additional tests such as MRI are also performed.

Rosa Elena Pérez Morales notes that when imaging modalities are not specific, it is necessary to perform a biopsy of the tumor, a method that is also used to monitor its evolution in those cases in which surgery is not used as the first option or in candidates for ablative treatment.

Specific treatment

Treatment for kidney cancer depends on the stage at which it is detected. In the case of localized tumors, we pay special attention to monitoring their growth for subsequent interventions, such as surgery to partially or completely remove the organ. Likewise, in cases where the size is less than three centimeters and the location is favorable, ablative treatments using cryotherapy or radiofrequency are used.

A nephrologist from Hospital Parque explains that when cancer spreads locally, growing beyond the kidney, the organ in question is removed along with the surrounding diseased tissue. He points out that in the presence of metastases, in addition to systemic therapy, radical or partial removal of the kidney is chosen using antiangiogenic drugs and inhibitors of mTOR, a protein responsible for the proliferation of cancer cells in this organ. Treatment is completed with immunotherapy and chemotherapy, including radiation therapy to control symptoms caused by certain metastases and also in case of cancer recurrence.

Perez Morales concludes that following these processes, it is critical to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and whole foods, minimizing sugar and salt intake, and maintaining an adequate weight. . To this should be added the practice of regular exercise, avoiding the use of tobacco and alcohol, controlling blood pressure and blood glucose levels, drinking enough water, avoiding anti-inflammatory drugs and controlling stress. All these recommendations, he adds, also help prevent this type of cancer.