Emphasizing that kidney tumor ranks 9th in men and 14th in women among the most common tumors, Urology specialist Assoc. Dr. İlter Alkan stated that the chance of success is much higher when detected early.
Underlining that 25-30 percent of patients are diagnosed at a late stage since kidney tumors, which are 2 times more common in men than women, do not give symptoms at an early stage, Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Urology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Alkan said, "However, most of the time, the tumor in the kidney is detected incidentally in ultrasonography or computed tomography performed for other diseases. In this way, the disease can be diagnosed at an earlier stage." 

Insidiously Progressing Kidney Tumors Present No Complaints in the Early Stages

Underlining that the incidence of kidney tumors has increased especially in recent years, Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Urology specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Alkan pointed out that while the number of kidney tumor cases seen in the world in a year is around 430 thousand, approximately one-third of the patients die due to this tumor. However, he said that successful results are achieved at rates up to 95 percent in tumors caught at an early stage.

"The Chance of Surgical Success in Early-Stage Kidney Tumors is Very High" 

Stating that there is a 5-year survival rate of up to 90-95 percent in tumors under 7 centimeters with early detection, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Alkan stated that this rate is 75-80 percent in stage 2 tumors.  In general, the survival rate is higher in tumors that have not spread outside the kidney, so early diagnosis is very important."
Stating that complaints in kidney tumors usually occur in advanced stages, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Alkan explained the following on the subject: "Kidney tumors can have 3 findings. These are; bleeding in the urine, lateral pain, and a palpable mass in the kidney area during the abdominal examination. Unfortunately, when these complaints occur, most of the time the disease has progressed and the tumor has spread in 25-30 percent of patients. Bleeding in the urine may be due to other causes (such as kidney stones) or may be a sign of a kidney tumor. Bleeding in the urine should be investigated for these reasons. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alkan stated that although there is no screening method for kidney tumors, it is important to have regular check-ups for early diagnosis.

"Smoking is the Most Important Preventable Risk Factor"

Explaining that kidney tumors are more common around the average age of 65, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Alkan explained the following about the risk factors: "5 to 8 percent of kidney tumors are inherited. For this reason, people who suffer from it at an earlier age should be investigated in their families. One of the most important risk factors is smoking. In fact, the higher the number of cigarettes consumed, the higher the risk for kidney tumors. After quitting smoking, the risk continues, although it decreases proportionally over years. The decrease in the risk of kidney tumors becomes evident only 10 years after quitting smoking. Therefore, it is very important to quit smoking, which is a preventable factor. Other risk factors include obesity, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and occupational exposure to certain chemicals." 

Tumor Can Be Removed While Preserving the Kidney  

Reminding that a multidisciplinary approach is applied in the treatment of kidney tumors, Assoc. Prof. İlter Alkan stated that very successful results are achieved with surgery, especially in early-stage tumors. Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Urology specialist Assoc. Prof. İlter Alkan gave the following information on the subject: "With the laparoscopy method, we can remove tumors up to 10 centimeters in size by protecting the kidney. Closed surgery has positive aspects such as not having a large incision for the patient, being discharged in a shorter time, and less blood loss. Depending on the surgeon's approach, the treatment can also be performed with open surgery. In some cases where the tumor is very large, it may be necessary to remove the kidney. In stage 1 tumors, the patient's 5-year survival rate is up to 90-95 percent. In tumors above 7 centimeters, which we call stage 2, there is a 5-year survival rate of 75-80 percent. I can say that our chances of success are much higher in the stage that has not spread outside the kidney." 

Kidneys Should Be Checked During Routine Check-up!

Reminding that there have been great developments in immunotherapy drugs used in kidney tumor treatment recently, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Alkan said, "These drugs strengthen our immune system in the body and make some changes in the tumor, allowing the body to defeat this tumor with its immune system. Therefore, even in stage 4 tumors, up to 4-5 percent of the tumor is completely cured."
Finally, underlining that it is important to diagnose the disease early, Urology specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlter Alkan emphasized that ultrasound should be performed in routine controls.