Kidney cancer symptoms: Early warning signs and more

Jul 19, 2023

Kidney or renal cancer may not cause symptoms in the early stages. As kidney cancer progresses, the most common symptoms include blood in the urine and a lump or mass in the kidney area.

Kidney cancer does not cause specific symptoms. This means that the symptoms may be due to various conditions or diseases that affect the kidneys, not just cancer.

However, while the cause may not be kidney cancer, a person may still require treatment.

This article reviews the symptoms relating to kidney cancer, when to speak with a doctor, and more.

According to the Urology Care Foundation, most kidney masses do not cause symptoms in their early stages. People may develop symptoms as the kidney mass grows and the cancer progresses.

Cancer Research UK states that most people who receive a diagnosis of kidney cancer do not have symptoms. However, if symptoms do appear, they may experience blood in the urine and a lump or mass in the kidney area.

The early stages of kidney cancer may not cause symptoms or signs. However, symptoms can appear as the cancer develops.

The most common symptom is blood in the urine. While this can come and go, sometimes it is not possible to see the blood without a urine test.

A person may also notice a lump or mass in the kidney area.

Other more vague, or nonspecific, symptoms of kidney cancer include:

The above symptoms are not specific to kidney cancer. It is more likely that a person experiencing one or more of these symptoms has another benign condition that may require treatment. For example, a high fever and heavy sweating can occur due to an infection.

Kidney cancer is unlikely to cause symptoms in its earliest stages. Symptoms of kidney cancer can develop as the tumor begins to grow larger and affects the nearby organs.

At which stage are symptoms of kidney cancer most likely to appear?

Doctors can find many early stage kidney cancers incidentally as a person is receiving care for a separate issue. As the cancer grows, it may be big enough to cause noticeable symptoms, and the larger it gets and the more it spreads to surrounding organs, the more symptoms it is likely to cause. Once the tumor reaches other organs, the symptoms will depend on where it spreads. Metastases to the lung could cause shortness of breath, for example, while metastases to the bones could cause bone pain, weakness, nausea, and confusion. While the exact symptoms depend on the specific tumor location and size, generally, the higher the stage and grade of the tumor, the increased likelihood of symptoms. However, some people never experience symptoms before receiving a diagnosis. If people have concerns about new, persistent symptoms that they think could be related to kidney cancer, they can speak with their healthcare team.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and other organizations use what is known as the TNM staging system:

The following table outlines the stages of kidney cancer:

A person should speak with a doctor if they experience blood in their urine or a lump or mass in the kidney area.

If people are experiencing persistent nonspecific symptoms, such as fever with no known cause, they should also speak with a doctor.

A doctor may discover kidney cancer following the report of symptoms or during a routine scan to diagnose other conditions.

To diagnose kidney cancer, a doctor may order the following tests:

According to the ACS, the 5-year relative survival rate for kidney cancer is as follows:

A relative survival rate helps indicate how long a person with a particular condition will live after receiving a diagnosis in comparison with those without the condition.

For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate is 70%, a person with the condition is 70% as likely to live for 5 years as someone without the condition.

However, it is important to remember that these figures are estimates. A person can consult a healthcare professional about how their condition will affect them.

A person’s survival rate will depend on several factors, including:

The following sections provide answers to frequently asked questions about kidney cancer.

Depending on the type of kidney cancer, it can spread quickly. For example, clear cell renal carcinoma is the most common and aggressive, or fast-growing, type of kidney cancer.

According to a 2015 study, the growth rate seems to increase in younger people. In their study of 46 people with renal cancer, the average growth rate per year was 2.13 centimeters (cm).

Learn more about how quickly kidney cancer can spread.

The symptoms of kidney cancer do not change regardless of a person’s sex. However, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) notes that the veins in the testicles can swell.

Papillary renal adenoma is the most common type of noncancerous kidney tumor and typically causes no symptoms.

Other types of benign kidney masses, such as cysts, are also unlikely to cause symptoms. However, in some cases, a person may experience pain, infection, or bleeding.

Kidney cancer may not show signs at an early stage. However, as the cancer progresses, it can cause symptoms that include blood in the urine, a lump or mass developing in the kidney area, and pain in the back.

The symptoms of kidney cancer are not specific, meaning a person may have another condition that is causing them.

Individuals should speak with a doctor if they suspect they may have kidney cancer or have any signs or symptoms that their kidneys are not functioning properly.