Am I at Risk for Kidney Cancer?

Your kidneys play an important role in ridding your body of wastes. Kidney diseases interfere with this process. About 65000 American adults get kidney cancer yearly according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While you can't predict exactly what will cause kidney cancer, understanding your risk factors will help you work towards reducing your risk of getting kidney cancer. Your urologist at Masel Urology Center, Dr. Jonathan Masel, can help diagnose and treat kidney cancer in Hollywood, FL.

Kidney Cancer Risk Factors

Kidney cancer risk factors cause your odds of getting the disease to shoot up. Some kidney cancer risk factors are modifiable and you can take precautions that may reduce your risk of getting the disease. Kidney cancer risk factors may be grouped under genetics, lifestyle, and general factors.

General

• Age over 45 years
• History of kidney disease and long term dialysis
• Male gender
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• More common in African Americans

Lifestyle

• Asbestos or cadmium exposure
• Smoking
• Medication such as acetaminophen and phenacetin

Genetics

Family history of kidney cancer or any one of the following genetic conditions may increase your kidney cancer risk:

• Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma
• Von Hippel-Lindau disease
• Hereditary renal oncocytoma
• Hereditary leiomyoma renal cell carcinoma
• Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome

Having one or more of these risk factors for kidney cancer doesn't automatically mean that you'll get kidney cancer. However, modifying the factors that you can, may help reduce your likelihood of getting kidney cancer. Knowing your risk factors for kidney cancer will help you protect your kidneys.

Kidney Cancer Treatment

Your urologist will run multiple tests to determine if you've got kidney cancer in Hollywood, FL. Once he determines what type of cancer you have and how far it has spread, your doctor will develop a personalized treatment plan for you. Kidney cancer therapies include:

• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Cryoablation or radiofrequency ablation
• Radiation
• Surgery
• Immunotherapy

Visiting your urologist will help you protect your kidney health. Call (954) 961-7500 to schedule a consultation with your urologist, Dr. Masel of Masel Urology Center, to learn more about preventing, diagnosing, and treating kidney cancer in Hollywood, FL.