Everyone Healthy Library
Kidney Cancer
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
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Connected health information
Explore this condition in a clear order
Condition overview
Attributes
Linked signs and symptoms
19Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
- Abdominal Swelling
- Blood in Urine (Hematuria)
- Cachexia (Weight Loss, Muscle Wasting, Fatigue, Weakness)
- Constipation
- Enlargement of Veins around Testicle (Varicocele)
- Face Becomes Pale
- Fever (Raised Body Temperature)
- Fluid Collection in Abdominal Cavity (Ascites)
- Hair Growth Excessive (Hirsutism)
- Kidney (Renal) Impairment
- Night Sweats
- Pain Abdominal
- Pain Back
- Pain Side (Flank)
- Pain: Abdominal, Radiating to Groin
- Pain: Lower Abdomen
- Skin: Pale, Lack of Colour (Pallid Complexion)
- Visual Disturbances
- Weight Loss (Body Mass Index Decreased)
Linked drugs / medications
1Medication information is educational only. A doctor or pharmacist should advise whether any medicine is appropriate.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
12Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Surgery
3Medical therapy
4Vitamins and minerals
2Minerals
2Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
41These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
- Acid Phosphatase Concentration
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Concentration
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP, Serum AFP, Blood)
- Antithrombin 111 (AT-111) Activity Test
- Apolipoprotein B Concentration
- Blood Uric Acid Concentration Test
- Calcitonin (Thyrocalcitonin) Concentration
- Calcium Concentration (Blood, Total)
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Glucose Concentration
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Protein Concentration
- Cerebrospinal Fluid White Cell Differential
- Creatinine Clearance (CrCl)
- Creatinine Concentration (Blood, Serum Creatinine)
- erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
- Fibrin Degradation Products (FDPs, Fibrin Split Products, FSPs, Fibrin Breakdown Products, Fbps)
- Fibrin Monomers Test
- Fibrinogen Concentration test
- Fibrinopeptide A (FPA) Action Assay
- Folic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) Concentration
- haptoglobin (Hp) concentration
- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Concentration
- Potassium Concentration (K, Blood)
- Protein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Protein S Concentration
- Red Blood Cell (RBC) Count
- Thyroid Stimulating Horomone (TSH) Concentration
- Thyroxine (Total T4) Concentration
- Triglyceride (TGs) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Free T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Total T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine Uptake Test
- Urine Albumin 24hr test
- Urine Chloride Concentration
- Urine Crystal Concentration
- Urine Estriol (E3) Concentration
- Urine Fatty Cast Concentration
- Urine Haemologlobin (Hb) Concentration
- Urine Red Blood Cells Concentration
- Vitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
- White Blood Cell (WBC) Count
Biological markers/agents
45This visual map shows biological markers/agents reported as increased or decreased with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
30- Acid PhosphataseReference range exampleChild (0 - 16y), Male: 8.7–12.5 units/L; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 2.2–10.4 units/LLinked diagnostic testsAcid Phosphatase Concentration
- Alpha-1 Antintrypsin (AAT)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 90–215 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsAlpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Concentration
- Alpha-2-Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.6–1 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (Non-Pregnant, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 5–40 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsAlpha-Fetoprotein (AFP, Serum AFP
- Apolipoprotein B (Apo B)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 47–115 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 52–120 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsApolipoprotein B Concentration
- Calcitonin (CT)Reference range exampleAll, Female: 0–14 pg/mL; All, Male: 0–19 pg/mLLinked diagnostic testsCalcitonin (Thyrocalcitonin) Concentration
- Calcium (Blood, Total)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 8.5–10.4 mg/dL; Birth - 2wks: 7.6–10.3 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCalcium Concentration (Blood, Total)
- Calcium Oxalate Crystals (Urine)Reference range exampleAll: 0–1 Not PresentLinked diagnostic testsUrine Crystal Concentration
- Cerebrospinal Fluid LeukocytesReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–5 /µL; 1y - 6y: 0–20 /µLLinked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid White Cell Differential
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Neutrophil DifferentialReference range exampleAll: 0–5 %Linked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid White Cell Differential
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Total ProteinReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 15–45 mg/dL; Child (< 10y): 15–70 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid Protein Concentration
- Creatinine (Blood)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 0.1–0.4 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Female: 0.6–1.2 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCreatinine Concentration (Blood, Serum Creatinine)
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation RateReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 0–20 mm/Hr; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 0–15 mm/HrLinked diagnostic testserythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
- Fibrin MonomersReference range example0–10,000 µg/LLinked diagnostic testsFibrin Monomers Test
- Fibrin Split ProductsReference range exampleAll: 0–1 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsFibrin Degradation Products (FDPs, Fibrin Split Products
- FibrinogenReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 150–400 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsFibrinogen Concentration test
- Fibrinopeptide A (FPA)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 0.7–3.1 mg/mL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 0.35–2.5 mg/mLLinked diagnostic testsFibrinopeptide A (FPA) Action Assay
- Gamma Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.8–1.7 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 6–30 units/L; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 6–38 units/LLinked diagnostic testsGamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) Concentration
- haptoglobin (Hp)Reference range example45–200 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testshaptoglobin (Hp) concentration
- Thyroid Stimulating Horomone (TSH)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0.021–0.11 µg/dL; Newborn (0 - 1month): 0.04–0.19 µg/dLLinked diagnostic testsThyroid Stimulating Horomone (TSH) Concentration, Urine B2 Microglobulin Concentration
- TriglyceridesReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 32–137 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 35–155 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsTriglyceride (TG's) Concentration, Triglyceride (TGs) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine Uptake PercentageReference range exampleAll: 25–38 %Linked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine Uptake Test
- Uric Acid, BloodReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 2.5–7 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 4–8 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsBlood Uric Acid Concentration Test
- Urine AlbuminReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 30–105 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 10–145 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsUrine Albumin 24hr test
- Urine Estriol (E3)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 0–60 µg/24hrs; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 1–11 µg/24hrsLinked diagnostic testsUrine Estriol (E3) Concentration
- Urine Fatty CastReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–0 PresentLinked diagnostic testsUrine Fatty Cast Concentration
- Urine Haemoglobin (Hb)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–0.02 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsUrine Haemologlobin (Hb) Concentration
- Urine Red Blood CellsReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–2 /hpfLinked diagnostic testsUrine Red Blood Cells Concentration
- White Blood Cell (WBC)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 4.5–10.5 million/mL; Adult ( > 16y): 3.2–10 million/mLLinked diagnostic testsWhite Blood Cell (WBC) Count
Often decreased
15- Albumin (Blood)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 37–52 gm/dL; Infant (0 - 1y): 4.4–5.4 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsBlood Albumin Concentration, Protein Electrophoresis (Blood
- Antithrombin 111 (AT-111)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 90–110 %Linked diagnostic testsAntithrombin 111 (AT-111) Activity Test
- Creatinine Clearance RateReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 87–110 ml/minute; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 100–140 ml/minuteLinked diagnostic testsCreatinine Clearance (CrCl)
- Folic Acid (Folate)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 14–51 ng/mL; Child (0 - 16y): 5–21 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsFolic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- Glucose (Cerebrospinal Fluid)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 65–85 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y): 50–72 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid Glucose Concentration
- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–125 mg/dL; 6y - 16y: 0–100 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsLow Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Concentration
- Potassium (K, Blood)AbbreviationKReference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 4.1–5.3 mEq/L; Child (0 - 16y): 3.4–4.7 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsPotassium Concentration (K, Blood)
- Protein SReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 50–120 %; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 55–120 %Linked diagnostic testsProtein S Concentration
- Red Blood Cells (RBC)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 3.6–5 106/mm3; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 4.2–5.4 106/mm3Linked diagnostic testsRed Blood Cell (RBC) Count
- Thyroxine (Total T4)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 6–12 µg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 5–12 µg/dLLinked diagnostic testsThyroxine (Total T4) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Free T3)Reference range example2.7–4.9 pg/mLLinked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine (Free T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Total T3)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 1.1–2.43 ng/mL; Adult ( > 16y): 1–2.1 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine (Total T3) Concentration
- Urine ChlorideReference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 2–10 mmol/day; Child (0 - 16y): 15–14 mmol/dayLinked diagnostic testsUrine Chloride Concentration
- Urine OsmolalityReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 250–950 mOsm/kgLinked diagnostic testsUrine Osmolality
- Vitamin B12 (VB12)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 130–670 pmol/LLinked diagnostic testsVitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
Introduction / full article
Kidney Cancer
Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:
Molybdenum (Mo, Sodium Molybdate) [1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Laboratory studies show that kidney cancer may respond to Molybdenum, however more research on human subjects is needed)
Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence
Copper [1, 2, 3]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: weakly in favor (studies have shown that treatment with a copper-lowering drug may help to treat kidney cancer, but these are early trials, and more studies are needed)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
* www.gradeworkinggroup.org
Summary References
Treatments:
1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009
2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/copper
3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002419.htm
4. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/molybdenum
5. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/molybdenum/
6. Hassouneh B, Islam M, Nagel T, Pan Q, Merajver SD, Teknos TN. Tetrathiomolybdate promotes tumor necrosis and prevents distant metastases by suppressing angiogenesis in head and neck cancer. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007;6:1039-1045.
7. Cassileth B. The Alternative Medicine Handbook: The Complete Reference Guide to Alternative and Complementary Therapies. New York, NY: W.W. Norton; 1998.
8. Nakadaira H, Endoh K, Yamamoto M, Katoh K. Distribution of selenium and molybdenum and cancer mortality in Niigata, Japan. Arch Environ Health. 1995;50:374-380.
9. William Roberts and Robert Maguire (1885). A practical treatise on urinary and renal diseases (4th ed.). Smith, Elder and Co.. pp. 697. http://books.google.com/?id=PoE5LAtmJqIC&pg=PA581. , page 581
10. Barjorin D. Tumors of the kidney, bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 2007.
11. National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Kidney Cancer. V.1.2009. National Comprehensive Cancer Network; 2009.
12. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/kidney/page5
13. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/KidneyCancer/DetailedGuide/kidney-cancer-adult-what-is-kidney-cancer
14. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kidney-cancer/DS00360
15. http://www.medicinenet.com/kidney_cancer/page3.htm#symptoms
16. http://www.urologychannel.com/kidneycancer/index.shtml
17. http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Kidney/Symptomsdiagnosis/Symptoms.aspx
18. http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Cancer-of-the-Kidney.htm
19. http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Cancer-of-the-Kidney.htm
20. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Kidney_cancer
21. http://cancer.about.com/od/kidneycancerrenalcell/a/kidneysymptoms.htm
22. http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/About cancer/Types of cancer/What is kidney cancer.aspx