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What causes kidney cancer?

Alexey Portnov, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024

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Causes of kidney cancer

The cause of kidney cancer is unknown. There are several groups of risk factors that contribute to the development of this new growth, which include smoking. Obesity, hypertension, the use of diuretics, the terminal stage of chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus.

trusted-source [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

Pathogenesis of kidney cancer

Kidney cancer is prone to local-destruiruyuschey growth with the invasion of venous vessels and the formation of tumor thrombosis of the renal, inferior vena cava and right heart chambers (10% of observations). Dissemination of the tumor process occurs by lymphogenous and hematogenous pathways. Most often, the lungs are affected (32%). Bones (25%), regional (retroperitoneal) lymph nodes (20%) and liver (7.5%). It is also possible metastasis to the non-regional groups of lymph nodes, adrenal glands, contralateral kidney, brain, soft tissues.

Classification of kidney cancer

Classification of TNM Union International Contre le Cancer (UICC), 2002.

Category T.

Tx - the primary tumor can not be evaluated.
T0 is an undiagnosed primary tumor.
T1 - a tumor with a diameter of less than 7 cm in the largest dimension, bounded by the kidney.
T1a is a tumor with a diameter less than or equal to 4 cm in the largest dimension, bounded by the kidney.
T1b - tumor more than 4 cm and less than 7 cm in the largest dimension, limited to the kidney.
T2 - a tumor with a diameter of more than or equal to 7 cm in the largest measurement, bounded by the kidney.
T3 is a locally advanced process with invasion of large venous vessels, ipsilateral adrenal gland or paranephric fiber, without germination of the Gerota fascia.
- Т3а - the tumor grows into the tissue of the ipsilateral adrenal gland or paranephric fiber (including peripelvic fiber), without infestation of the Gerota fascia.
- T3b tumor thrombosis of the ipsilateral renal vein, its branches (including muscle branches), or the inferior vena cava, not reaching the diaphragm level.
- T3c - tumor thrombosis of the inferior vena cava with possible invasion into its wall above the level of the diaphragm.
T4 - the tumor germinates fascia Gerota.

Category N - Regional lymph nodes.

Nx - regional lymph nodes can not be evaluated.
N0 - unaffected regional lymph nodes (the basis is considered the absence of signs of malignant growth in more than 8 distant lymph nodes, with the removal of a smaller number of collectors, the crucial role is played by the presence of tumor cells in the remote drug).
N1 - solitary metastasis in the regional lymph node.
N2 - metastatic lesion of more than one regional lymph node.

Category M.

Mx - the fact of having distant metastases can not be estimated.
M0 is the absence of distant metastases.
Ml - the presence of distant metastases.

Morphological classification of kidney cancer

There are 5 types of kidney cancer:

light-celled (60-85%);
chromophilic, or papillary (7-14%);
chromophobic (4-10%);
oncocyte (2-5%);
cancer of the collecting ducts (1-2%).

Histological types of kidney cancer have a different clinical course and are characterized by a different response to systemic therapy.

trusted-source [6], [7]