Kidney cancer begins in the kidneys, also called as renal cell carcinoma. This cancer is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults.
Children are more likely to develop a kind of kidney cancer known as Wilms’ Tumour.
In many cases, kidney cancer can be detected at an early stage, when the tumour is small and is limited to the kidney.
Symptoms of kidney cancer
Common signs and symptoms a patient may experience due to kidney cancer include:
- pink, red, or cola-colored blood in the urine
- Pain in the back that does not go away
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness or fatigability
- Fever-on and off-types
Causes of kidney cancer
There is no known and clear causing factor for renal cell cancer, the most common form of kidney cancer, though there are several risk factors.
Risk factors
Factors that may increase the risk of kidney cancer include:
- Older age: The risk of kidney cancer increases as the age advances.
- Smoking: Smokers are more likely to develop kidney cancer as compared to non-smokers.
- Obesity: Obese or overweight people have a higher risk of kidney cancer than people with an average body weight do.
- High blood pressure (hypertension): High blood pressure enhances the risk of kidney cancer.
- Treatment for kidney failure: Patients who undergo long-term dialysis to treat chronic kidney failure have a greater risk of developing kidney cancer.
- Certain inherited syndromes: Patients born with certain inherited syndromes such as those who have von Hippel-Lindau disease, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma, or familial renal cancer are more likely to have the risk of kidney cancer.
- Family history of kidney cancer: If any person had kidney cancer or any other cancer in his/her family, in that case, he/she is more likely to have kidney cancer.
- Exposure to certain substances in the workplace: for example, exposure to cadmium or specific herbicides increases the risk of having kidney cancer.
Diagnosis of Kidney cancer
Tests and procedures done for kidney cancer Diagnosis are:
- Blood and urine tests
- Imaging tests: an ultrasound, a computerized tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize the tumor.
- Biopsy – Removing a sample of kidney tissue
Book an appointment with Oncology experts at Oncoplus Cancer care.
Kidney cancer staging after diagnosis
Once the kidney cancer has been diagnosed, the next step is to define the staging of cancer means to determine the extent of cancer. Stages in Kidney cancer are:
- Stage I: At this stage, the tumor is limited to the kidney, and size can be up to 2 3/4 inches in diameter.
- Stage II: At this stage, the tumor is still limited to the kidney but the size is more than that at stage I.
- Stage III: At this stage, the tumor spreads beyond the kidney to the surrounding tissue and nearby lymph nodes.
- Stage IV: At this stage, cancer extends outside the kidney, to multiple lymph nodes, or to distant parts of the body, such as the bones, lungs, or liver.
Book an appointment with the best kidney cancer doctors in Delhi for Kidney Cancer Treatment
Treatment of Kidney cancer
Like other cancer, kidney cancer treatment depends upon certain factors including the patient’s general health, the type of kidney cancer, and the extent of cancer.
Surgery
Surgery is considered the main treatment for kidney cancer, with the goal of removing the tumor while preserving normal kidney function. Surgical procedures performed to treat kidney cancer may include:
- Nephrectomy: Removing the affected kidney. A complete (radical) nephrectomy involves the removal of the entire kidney, a border of healthy tissue, and nearby tissues such as the lymph nodes, adrenal gland, or other structures.
- Partial Nephrectomy: Removing the tumor from the kidney. In this procedure, the surgeon removes the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue that surrounds it not the entire kidney. Partial nephrectomy or Kidney-sparing surgery is a common treatment in cases when patients have only one kidney.
Nonsurgical treatments for kidney cancer
In some cases, alternative options are available to kill small tumors without surgery. These options are:
- Cryoablation: Treatment to freeze cancer cells. In this process, a special hollow needle is inserted into the kidney tumor through the patient’s skin using ultrasound or other image guidance. Then cold gas in the needle is used to freeze or cool down the cancer cells.
- Radiofrequency Ablation: Treatment to heat cancer cells. In this procedure, a special probe is inserted into the kidney tumor through the patient’s skin using ultrasound or other imaging to guide the placement of the probe. An electrical current is passed into the cancer cells through the needle, causing the cells to burn or heat up.
Treatments for advanced and recurrent kidney cancer
Kidney cancer that recurs and spreads to other parts of the body may not be curable but may be controlled with some treatment methods. A few such options available at Oncoplus Cancer care are discussed below:
- Surgery to remove as much of the kidney tumor as possible: When surgery cannot remove all cancer, in those few cases it may be helpful to remove as much of cancer as possible.
- Biological therapy/Immunotherapy: Drugs that use your immune system to fight cancer: This uses the patient’s body’s immune system to fight cancer.
- Targeted therapy: Targeted treatments block specific abnormal signals present in kidney cancer cells preventing them from multiplying. These drugs treat kidney cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy radiations, such as X-rays, to destroy cancer cells.
Consult our Oncology team experts to get an opinion.
Preventive measure for kidney cancer
Taking few essential steps to improve one’s health may help reduce the risk of kidney cancer. To reduce the risk, try to:
- Quit smoking
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Control high blood pressure
- Eat a healthy diet
Book an appointment with the Best Cancer Specialist at Oncoplus Hospital.
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs and is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women.
Symptoms of lung cancer
Signs and symptoms of lung cancer occur when the disease is in advanced stage. Common signs and symptoms of lung cancer include:
- cough that does not go away
- Blood oozes out while coughing(even a small amount)
- Pain in chest
- Shortness of breath
- Hoarseness in voice
- Losing weight for unknown reason
- Bone pain
- Constant Headache
Types of lung cancer
Lung cancer is classified into two general categories based on the appearance of lung cancer cells under the microscope. The two types of lung cancer are:
- Small cell lung cancer: Small cell lung cancer occurs in heavy smokers.
- Non-small cell lung cancer: This type of cancer is an umbrella term for several types of lung cancers that appear similar. A few cancers include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.
Causes of lung cancer
Smoking is the main causing factor contributing to the majority of lung cancers. Both smokers and people exposed to passive smoke are at risk of developing lung cancer.
Risk factors for lung cancer
Some risk factors like smoking can be controlled by quitting smoking but there are few other risk factors that cannot be controlled.
A few risk factors for lung cancer are:
- Smoking
- Exposure to secondhand smoke or passive smoking
- Exposure to radon gas
- Exposure to asbestos and other carcinogens
- Family history of lung cancer
How to diagnose lung cancer
Bronchoscopy
This is recommended to people who are above 50 years old and have smoked heavily for several years however healthy. Experts at Oncoplus cancer care motivate people to consider annual lung cancer screening using low-dose CT scans.
- Imaging tests: X-ray of lungs reveal an abnormal mass or nodule.
- CT scan: reveal small lesions in lungs that may not be detected in an X-ray.
- Sputum cytology: Sputum is examined under a microscope to rule out the presence of lung cancer cells.
- A tissue sample (biopsy): A sample of abnormal cells is extracted and sent to a laboratory to make a diagnosis. The careful analysis provides a guide to the oncology team to define the plan of treatment.
Book an appointment with the best medical oncologist in Delhi for Lung Cancer Treatment
Stages of lung cancer
Once the lung cancer has been diagnosed in a patient, the Oncology team works to determine the stage of cancer to know to what extent cancer has spread.
Staging is determined after certain investigations as mentioned above. Like any other cancer, stages of lung cancer are also classified in the range of 0 to 4, where 0 indicates that cancer is limited to the lung while stage 4 indicates cancer has spread to other parts of the body including the liver.
Treatment options available at Oncoplus cancer care
Lung cancer surgery
The treatment plan for lung cancer is based on a number of factors, such as your overall health, the type, and the stage of your cancer.
surgery
Common procedures to remove lung cancer include:
- Wedge resection: removal of a small section of lung that contains the tumor also a margin of healthy tissue.
- Segmental resection: removal of a larger portion of the lung.
- Lobectomy: Removal of the entire lobe of one lung
- Pneumonectomy: removal of the entire lung
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy radiations to destroy cancer cells. For patients with locally advanced lung cancer, radiation therapy can be used before surgery or after surgery.
It is usually combined with chemotherapy treatment if surgery is not an option.
Chemotherapy in Delhi
Chemotherapy drugs are given through a vein in the patient’s arm (intravenously) or taken orally to kill cancer cells. In chemotherapy, a combination of drugs is given in a series of treatments over a period of weeks or months, with breaks in between allowing the patient to recover from side effects of chemotherapy.
Targeted drug therapy
Targeted drug treatments block abnormalities in cancer cells focusing on specific abnormalities present within cancer cells causing cancer cells to die.
Immunotherapy in Delhi
Immunotherapy uses a patient’s immune system to fight cancer, done for patients with advanced lung cancer. Immunotherapy interferes with the process of how cancer cells attack one’s immune system.
Palliative care
People with lung cancer often experience signs and symptoms of cancer also the side effects of treatment. Palliative care known as supportive care in cancer is a specialty area of medicine that involves working with an expert to minimize the signs and symptoms of cancer inpatient.
Book an appointment with the Best Cancer Specialist at Oncoplus Hospital.
A GUIDE ON BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women after lung cancer leading to death in women.
Symptoms of breast cancer
The first most sign of breast cancer in women usually appears as a lump in the breast or an armpit or an area of thickened tissue in the breast.
Other common signs and symptoms include:
- a sunken or inverted nipple
- a rash around the nipples
- Flaking, peeling, or scaling of the skin on the nipple or breast
- pain in the breast or armpit that does not go with the monthly cycle
- redness of the skin of the breast
- discharge (possibly containing blood) from a nipple
- a change in the size and shape of the breast
However most lumps in the breast are not cancerous, hence it is suggested that a woman should visit a doctor for an examination if she notices a lump on the breast.
Stages of breast cancer
The stages of any cancer are defined by the oncologist based on the severity or to what extent cancer has spread in the body. Similarly, stages in Breast cancer are also defined based on the size of the tumor and the extent it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Stages are explained below:
Stage 0:
At this stage, the cancerous cells are limited to within the ducts and have not spread surrounding tissues, this stage is known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
Stage 1:
At this stage, the tumor becomes 2 centimeters (cm) in size. At this stage, the cancerous cells have not affected any lymph nodes.
Stage 2:
At this stage, the tumor is 2 cm across in size also; it has started to spread to surrounding lymph nodes, or the tumor can be 2–5 cm across in size but has not spread to the nearby nodes.
Stage 3:
At this stage, the tumor is up to 5 cm across in size, and it has spread to several lymph nodes or the tumor is larger than 5 cm also has spread to a few lymph nodes.
Stage 4:
At this stage, the cancer cells have spread to distant organs including the bones, liver, brain, or lungs.
RISK FACTORS
The exact cause of breast cancer is not known but a few risk factors make it more likely to occur. These are listed below:
1. Age:
The risk of breast cancer in women increases with increasing age. The chances of developing breast cancer at the age of 20 years are approx. 0.06% and it increases up to 3.84% by the age of 7o years.
2. Genetics:
If there is a family history of having breast cancer, then the chances of developing breast cancer increase. That’s why women are recommended to seek genetic screening who have a family history of breast, ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer.
3. Women with a history of breast lumps or breast cancer:
Those women who have had breast cancer previously, are at more risk to have it again than those who have no history of the disease.
In addition, having some types of noncancerous breast lump increases the chance of developing breast cancer later in life.
4. Dense breast tissue:
Women with dense breasts are likely to develop breast cancer so Oncologists at Oncoplus cancer care suggest all women seek a regular cancer screening.
5. Estrogen exposure:
Extended exposure to estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer.
For women who start their menstrual cycle earlier or entering menopause at a later than the average age, estrogen level is high in such women.
6. Body weight:
Women who are obese or overweight after menopause may also have a higher chance of developing breast cancer, possibly due to increased estrogen levels.
7. Alcohol consumption:
A higher rate of regular alcohol consumption is said to contribute to the development of breast cancer.
8. Radiation exposure:
Undergoing radiation treatment for different cancer may be a risk factor to develop breast cancer later in life.
9. Hormone treatments:
According to the studies, oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer.
Diagnosis of Breast cancer
Several diagnostic tests and procedures are done to rule out the accurate diagnosis:
Breast exam
The Oncologist checks the breasts for lumps and other symptoms.
Imaging tests
Mammogram: This is a type of X-ray that is done during an initial breast cancer screening. It produces images that help an expert detect any lumps or abnormalities in the breast.
Ultrasound: Sonography helps a doctor to differentiate between a solid mass and a fluid-filled cyst.
MRI: MRI is used as a screening tool for those at higher risk of breast. It combines different images of the breast to help a doctor identify cancer or other abnormalities in the breast.
Biopsy: In a biopsy, a sample of tissue from the breast is extracted and is sent to a laboratory for analysis.
This rules out whether the cells are cancerous. If cells are cancerous then a biopsy indicates the type of cancer.
Diagnosis also involves staging cancer to determine:
- the size of a tumor
- to what extent it has spread
- whether it is invasive or non-invasive
Book an appointment with the best cancer doctors in Delhi for Breast Cancer Treatment
Treatment options for breast cancer
Treatment depends on several factors, including:
- the type and stage of the cancer
- the person’s sensitivity to hormones
- the age
- the overall health of the individual
Important treatment options include:
Cancer Surgery
Surgical intervention depends on the type of cancer and individual preference. Types of surgery include:
Mastectomy: This procedure involves the removal of the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue, nipple, areola, and some skin. In some types of breast cancer, The OncoSurgeon removes the lymph nodes and muscle in the chest wall as well.
Lumpectomy: This involves removal of the tumor and a small healthy tissue around it.
This procedure can help stop the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. This type of procedure is considered a treatment option when the tumor is small and can be separated easily from its surrounding tissue.
Sentinel node biopsy: this biopsy is done when breast cancer reaches the sentinel lymph nodes, which are the first nodes to which cancer can spread, and then it can spread into other parts of the body through the lymphatic system.
Axillary lymph node dissection: If cancer cells are found in the sentinel nodes, then several lymph nodes in the armpit may be removed which can prevent cancer from spreading.
Reconstruction: As the name suggests, the surgeon reconstructs the breast to look more natural after mastectomy. The patient party and the surgeon decide this unanimously. This can definitely help the patient to cope with the negative psychological effects of breast removal.
The breast can be reconstructed at the same time as performing a mastectomy or later. A breast implant is placed in most cases to give natural look to the breast.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy involves targeting the tumor with controlled doses of radiation destroying the remaining cancer cells. The patient may undergo radiation therapy a month after surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells if there is a high risk of recurrence or spread.
Hormone blocking therapy
Hormone blocking therapy prevents hormone-sensitive breast cancers from recurring after treatment.
Hormone blocking therapy is considered as the only option for patients who are not suitable candidates for surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.
Book an appointment with the Best Cancer Specialist at Oncoplus Hospital.
Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatments of Blood Cancer
Blood cancer is very dangerous for our health, we need to find out its symptoms on time and start the treatments as soon as possible if we find symptoms in our health routine we should contact the doctor and inform that what happens. after consulting the doctor and get positive we should not delay we should start treatments of blood cancer.
WHAT IS BLOOD CANCER?
Blood cancer is the type of cancer that originates from the bone marrow as bone marrow is the integral source of blood production. blood cancer affects the production and function of a patient’s blood cell.
There are two type BLOOD CANCER:
- LEUKAEMIA :
Leukemia is the cancer of the white blood cells caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells because of which they cannot fight infections rightly. Leukemia can occur in both adults as well as children. - MYELOMA :
Myeloma is the cancer of plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell also known as our body’s defense mechanism. In this type of cancer, the body’s ability to fight infections is inhibited leading to frequent illness. Myeloma can develop in any location where there is blood plasma.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Since the symptoms of Blood Cancer can be confused by flu or other common illnesses so these may often be ignored or overlooked. The symptoms differ from patient to patient as these depend on certain factors including the type of blood cancer, the stage of cancer, the progression (acute or chronic).
A few common signs of blood cancer may include the following:
- Anemia
- Fever or infections
- Swelling of Lymph nodes
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pain in the bone
- Swelling of liver or spleen
- Night sweats
RISK FACTOR AND CAUSES OF BLOOD CANCER
There are no exact known causes for developing cancer, but studies prove that some factors may increase the chances a person can have cancer in his/her life. Risk factors can be different for different types of cancer, but there are a few common risk factors for all types of cancer. A few are listed below:
Chemical exposure:
Exposure to chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, heavy factory smoke and chemicals, etc. can also cause blood cancer.
Radiation exposure:
Exposure to radiation can also cause Blood cancer. The higher the dose of radiation, the more the risk of developing blood cancer.
Smoking:
Smoking is said to be one of the major risk factors for causing blood cancer because tobacco is likely to damage or change the DNA of blood cells that causes abnormal growth causing blood cancer. It can also reduce the body’s immunity, making the body more prone to illness.
Diet for treatment of blood cancer:
Today, more than 50% of the world’s population do not follow a nutritious diet, a few foods, however, increase the risk of cancer. They are as follows:
- Processed meat
- Microwave popcorn
- Aerated drinks
- Diet food and beverages
- Refined flour
- Refined sugars
- Dirty fruits and vegetables
- Farmed salmon
- Hydrogenated oils
Diagnostic Tests for Blood Cancer
The most common tests used to diagnose blood cancer available at Oncoplus Hospital are:
Complete blood count
This blood test measures the concentration of various types of blood cells-red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet cell count, in the given sample. This test determines abnormalities in the blood cells or their concentration in blood. Bone marrow biopsy may help in confirming this diagnosis.
Bone marrow biopsy/aspiration
Removal of bone marrow sample for testing is called bone marrow biopsy or aspiration, the difference being the follows:
- Bone marrow aspiration: to extract a liquid bone marrow sample.
- Bone marrow biopsy: Removing a small amount of bone marrow tissue.
This test determines if the cancer is affecting the bone marrow, the type of blood cancer, and the stage of cancer. The main purpose of this test is to confirm blood cancer as well as bone marrow disorders if any also detect any DNA abnormalities in the sample.
Lymph Node Biopsy
Blood cancer affects the blood cells that successively means the immune system fully gets affected. The lymphatic system is responsible for human immunity. It includes tonsils, spleen, and lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are present in hundreds of the body, which contain white blood cells to fight infections.
In lymph node biopsy, a small cut is made and the node is taken, and the cut is closed by stitches. This test provides information about blood cancer, type, and stage.
Spinal tap
It is also referred to as lumbar puncture. A fine needle is inserted in the space between the bones in the lower back and cerebrospinal fluid is extracted from the spine. This fluid is examined under a microscope to assess the progress of blood cancer, whether it has spread to the spinal cord.
Flow cytometry
This check determines the blood and bone marrow cells to research an amendment within the white blood cell count that might cause cancer.
An instrument known as a flow cytometer is used to measure the number and percentage of cells and their characteristics.
Karyotype test
This check maps the forty-six human chromosomes of a cell to see the changes within the chromosomes and their arrangement.
The appearance of This checks for abnormalities within the size, shape, range, and arrangement of the blood cells or bone marrow cells.
Different Blood Cancer Stages and Metastasis
The stage indicates the extent of cancer progression. The stage of cancer helps the specialist to define the correct treatment option for blood cancer. Staging of blood cancer is classified based on blood cell counts and accumulation of these cells within other organs like the spleen, liver, etc. Stages are assessed after a proper evaluation of the patient.
Book an appointment with the Cancer Doctors in Delhi for Blood Cancer Treatment
Treatments of Blood cancer Options
The treatment of blood cancer depends on several factors including the type and stage of cancer, age of the patient, and the organs involved by cancer.
The most crucial treatment options available for blood cancer at Oncoplus are explained below:
1. Chemotherapy Treatment
Chemotherapy destroys the rapidly growing cells in the body using chemical drug therapy. It is one of the most reliable and effective treatments to cure blood cancer.
Book an appointment with an Oncologist at Oncoplus.
Chemotherapy Procedure: How it is done?
In Chemotherapy, chemical/drugs/medicines are injected into veins or the larger muscle, which then travel along the bloodstream to reach the cancer cells. These drugs stop the cancerous cells from spreading further in the body. Chemotherapy is conducted in stages allowing the patient to handle the side effects of treatment, however, these are generally short-termed and medication is prescribed after every session of therapy.
Side effects of Chemotherapy in blood cancer treatment:
Few organs including the Heart, Lier, Brain, Testicles, Ovaries, kidneys are affected due to chemotherapy. Other common side effects of chemotherapy include:
- Appetite changes
- Hair loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- Constipation
The oncologist and team at Oncoplus takes care of the tolerance levels of the Patient before proceeding with the treatment.
2. Radiation Therapy for Blood Cancer Treatment
Radiation therapy damages the DNA in the cancerous cells using high-energy radiation, which further restricts their growth and reproduction.
Side effects of radiotherapy in treatment of blood cancer:
- Hair loss
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Skin problems
- Sore throat
- Heartburn
Since radiations are of high energy so it is advised to have a nutritious diet after radiotherapy also regular exercises contribute to the benefits of the patient’s health after radiotherapy.
3. Stem Cell Transplantation for Blood Cancer treatment
Since other treatment methods destroy the cancerous cells so patient’s body needs more new cells to maintain the normal functioning of the body. Stem cells are the cells of the bone marrow that develop further to produce new blood cells.
4. Blood Targeted Therapy for Blood Cancer treatment
This type of therapy targets the specific molecules that help cancer to grow and spread across the body. The main agenda of this therapy is to target the genes, proteins, and supporting blood vessels. This therapy is done alone or in combination with chemotherapy.
Side effects of Blood targeted therapy are :
- Increasing blood pressure
- Skin problems
- Gastrointestinal perforation
- Problems with blood clotting and wound healing
Book an appointment with the Best Cancer Specialist at Oncoplus Hospital.