Alarming increase in kidney cancer cases

Master, resident physician Cao Minh Phuc, Department of Urology Surgery, Bach Mai Hospital said that the kidney is a small organ but plays a vital role in the body. The kidney is responsible for filtering blood, removing toxins, regulating blood pressure, balancing water and electrolytes, and participating in the production of blood-forming hormones.

When kidney cells proliferate abnormally and uncontrollably, they form malignant tumors. At that time, not only is kidney function impaired, but it also leads to a series of disorders that seriously affect the entire body.

According to Globocan 2020, each year the world records over 430,000 new cases of kidney cancer, of which Vietnam accounts for about 1,700-2,000 cases. The incidence of the disease is on the rise globally, especially in developing countries like Vietnam.

This increase is partly due to advances in diagnostic imaging, which have helped detect many cases incidentally. However, it also reflects the rise of modern risk factors such as obesity, smoking and environmental pollution.

Among kidney cancers, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for about 90% of kidney cancer cases. Master, resident physician Cao Minh Phuc, Department of Urology Surgery, Bach Mai Hospital said: RCC has the characteristic of "silent" progression, easily metastasizes through the blood and often does not cause early symptoms.

Other types include transitional cell carcinoma (5-7%), which usually arises from the renal pelvis; Wilms tumor in children; and the very rare tubular carcinoma. Although less common, these types tend to be more aggressive and have a worse prognosis than RCC.

Kidney cancer is often called the “silent trap” because in the early stages, the disease has few obvious symptoms. Most cases are discovered by chance through abdominal ultrasound or CT scan when examined for other reasons.

When symptoms appear, the disease is usually advanced, although only occurs in less than 10% of patients, including: painless gross hematuria, dull pain in the flank-back area, and a palpable mass in the lower flank.

Clearly established risk factors for kidney cancer include: smoking (increases the risk of RCC by 50%), obesity (disrupts hormones and insulin - factors that stimulate cancer cell growth), hypertension (associated with chronic renal microvascular damage), chemical exposure (lead, arsenic, pesticides) and genetic factors (Von Hippel–Lindau syndrome, Birt–Hogg–Dubé may increase the risk of early RCC).

Dr. Cao Minh Phuc recommends seeing a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms: Blood in the urine - even if only once and painless; unexplained, dull, persistent back pain on one side; weight loss, fatigue, persistent low-grade fever, unexplained anemia.

In particular, people over 50 years old, smokers, have high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney cancer should have regular ultrasounds every 6-12 months.

Currently, about 30-40% of patients are diagnosed at the metastatic stage - an alarming reality. To improve this situation, Dr. Cao Minh Phuc emphasized the need to strengthen communication and public health education ; encourage regular health check-ups - simple abdominal ultrasound can detect early; train primary doctors to improve their skills in suspicion and early diagnosis and apply AI technology - big data in screening and monitoring risks.

The Department of Urology, Bach Mai Hospital detects and performs surgery on hundreds of kidney tumors each year, many of which are diagnosed early and have successful surgery to preserve kidney function.

Advanced treatment methods applied in the department include: Laparoscopic surgery through the peritoneum, retroperitoneum: Kidney-preserving tumor resection, radical nephrectomy; tumor destruction by thermotherapy (high-frequency thermocoagulation); multimodal combination: Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy (if the disease is advanced); accurate diagnosis is guaranteed through interdisciplinary coordination and the use of modern means: MSCT, MRI, biopsy, histopathology.

MANH TRAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bao-dong-gia-tang-ca-mac-ung-thu-than-post897253.html