How to distinguish between early and advanced stages of kidney cancer
Disease description:
My friend was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer, but the doctor didn't specify whether it is early or late stage. How can one distinguish between early and late stage kidney cancer?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Qi Zhirong
The early and advanced stages of kidney cancer are mainly distinguished by the following aspects:
1. Symptom presentation: Early-stage kidney cancer usually presents with no obvious symptoms, or only non-specific symptoms such as hematuria (blood in urine), flank mass, or back pain; whereas advanced kidney cancer may present more noticeable symptoms including hematuria, abdominal mass, weight loss, and decreased appetite, possibly accompanied by pain, nausea, and vomiting.
2. Tumor size and metastasis: Tumors in early-stage kidney cancer are usually small and confined within the kidney without metastasis; in contrast, tumors in advanced kidney cancer are larger, may invade surrounding tissues or organs, and often present with distant metastases.
3. Treatment approaches: Early-stage kidney cancer is typically treated with radical surgical resection and has a better prognosis; advanced kidney cancer may require palliative surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of treatments, and generally has a poorer prognosis.
If you have any concerns, it is recommended to seek timely medical consultation for professional evaluation and treatment.
