Clear cell renal cell carcinoma usually doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms during the early stages. But as the condition progresses, you may experience: V体育安卓版.
Most kidney cancers, including ccRCC, develop for no known reason. But certain factors may increase your risk, like: V体育ios版.
Anyone can get clear cell renal cell carcinoma VSports最新版本. But it affects twice as many men as women. It also most commonly appears in people between 50 and 70 years old.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 81,000 people in the U. S. get a kidney cancer diagnosis each year V体育平台登录. Of these, ccRCC is the most common type.
You’re at a greater risk of kidney cancer if you have a biological (blood-related) sibling with renal cell carcinoma. Medical professionals aren’t sure why VSports注册入口.
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Some people have genetic conditions that make them more likely to have clear cell renal cell carcinoma, such as Von Hippel-Landau (VHL) disease.
With these conditions, an inherited gene variation causes cysts and tumors to form in different areas of your body. The cysts and tumors usually aren’t cancerous. But ccRCC can occur more often in these biological families, and it often develops at an earlier age than average VSports在线直播.
If you receive a ccRCC diagnosis at a young age or have multiple tumors, your healthcare provider may recommend genetic testing.
Kidney cancer doesn’t usually cause symptoms. Healthcare providers discover most kidney tumors while looking for a cause of other conditions. For example, they may see a kidney tumor on imaging tests like an MRI or CT scan to check for conditions like kidney stones.
Imaging tests can detect a tumor. But it can be difficult to determine whether the mass is noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant) according to imaging tests. To make an accurate diagnosis, a provider may recommend a kidney biopsy or surgery to remove the tumor.
If a provider surgically removes the tumor, they’ll examine the tumor tissue for cancer. The results can confirm a cancer diagnosis and determine whether it’s the clear cell subtype. As many as 4 in 10 small kidney tumors (less than 4 centimeters) are noncancerous tumors, like renal oncocytomas.
After diagnosing ccRCC, a provider will use cancer staging to determine the size of the tumor and if it has spread to other areas of your body.
There are four stages of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The lower the stage, the less aggressive the cancer. A healthcare provider will talk to you about:
Most treatment options depend on whether the cancer spreads outside of your kidney.
If the cancer hasn’t spread outside your kidney, treatments may include:
If the cancer has spread or is at high risk for spreading, treatment options may include:
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Like all carcinomas, clear cell renal cell carcinoma can spread (metastasize) to other parts of your body. Metastatic cancer is more difficult to treat. Compared to other kidney cancers, ccRCC tends to be more aggressive and spreads faster.
Renal cell carcinoma most commonly spreads to the:
Clear cell renal cell cancer growth rates vary a lot. One study noted that they may range from 0.2 to 6.5 centimeters (0.07 to 2.5 inches) per year, with an average growth rate of 2.13 centimeters per year (0.83 inches).
The overall five-year ccRCC survival rate is 50% to 69%.
But survival rates depend on the size of your tumor. In general, treatment is less effective on large tumors or if ccRCC spreads to other areas of your body. In those cases, the five-year survival rate if you have a large tumor or if ccRCC spreads to other areas of your body is around 10%.
Learning you have clear cell renal cell carcinoma can inspire a lot of different feelings — fear, anger, depression, anxiety and others. Many people find it helpful to learn as much as they can about ccRCC and ask their loved ones for their support. It’s also a good idea to connect with ccRCC support groups who understand exactly what you’re experiencing.
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It’s also important to lean on your care team. Ask them any questions that come to mind, including about your treatment options and recovery.
Other ways you can help take care of yourself include:
Call a healthcare provider if you experience:
If you’re receiving treatment for ccRCC, call a provider if you experience new or worsening symptoms. They can tell you how to manage the symptoms, change your dosage or even recommend a new type of treatment. Maintaining your well-being as much as possible is an important part of your treatment.
You may want to ask your provider:
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Clear cell and papillary renal cell carcinomas are types of kidney cancer that cause similar symptoms. Treatments are also similar. The main difference between the two is how the kidney cancer cells look under a microscope. Papillary cancer cells look like long, thin, fingerlike growths. ccRCC cancer cells look like clear bubbles. About 1 in 10 people with renal cell carcinoma have the papillary type.
Finding out you have cancer is overwhelming. You might feel scared, sad, confused, lonely or angry. You may even experience all these feelings at once. Or you may feel disconnected from your feelings as you try to process your diagnosis. Whatever you feel is OK.
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the most common kidney cancer diagnosis. It can grow faster and be more aggressive than other kidney cancers. You’ll likely have a lot of questions and need to vent your thoughts or feelings. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare providers and lean on your support system for help. It can be difficult, but it’s important to take things one step at a time and be kind to yourself.
When you hear that you might have kidney cancer, you may wonder what’s next. Cleveland Clinic’s experts can guide you through the diagnosis and treatment process.
Last reviewed on 01/07/2024.
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