A person suffers from kidney cancer when the fully-functional cells in one or both the kidneys multiply abnormally and produce a lump, which is known as a tumor. In this article, we will cover the different stages and treatments for kidney cancer.

Categorizing Kidney Cancer
The process of categorizing kidney cancer in different stages is known as the TNM system.

• T
  This letter states the size of the primary tumor and determines whether it has spread itself to other areas or organs.

• N
  “N” describes the extent to which the cancer has spread in the lymph nodes, which are closer to the kidney. Lymph nodes are bean-shaped nodes and consist of immune-system cells.

• M
  “M” gives a clear picture of whether the cancer has outgrown itself and spread to multiple parts of the body. Some of the common areas it spreads in are the liver, lungs, brain, bones, and lymph nodes, which are at a good distance from the kidney.

Explained ahead are the stages and treatments for kidney cancer.

Stages of kidney cancer

• Stage I
  In the first stage, the tumor does not spread beyond the kidney. It does not spread itself to the lymph nodes and other organs, which are at a distance. It is less than 7.0 centimeters at this stage.

• Stage II
  Like in the first stage, the tumor remains confined to the kidney. But now, it has become slightly bigger and covers a greater area. It is slightly more than 7.0 centimeters in size.

• Stage III
  At this stage, you find certain symptoms that are listed in the “T” and “N” categories. Tumors of different sizes will spread across the lymph nodes, which are closer to the kidney. They can also make their way into the veins, originating from the kidney and go up to the heart.

• Stage IV
  Various signs of the T, N, and M categories are a part of this stage. In this stage, the cancer has entered into the abdominal wall or the large bowel.

Treatment
Surgery is the most common treatment for kidney cancer. It removes the tumor and restores normal functioning for the kidney. The different surgical options include:

• Nephrectomy
  This process involves the complete removal of the affected kidney from the body. Apart from the kidney, several tissues like the adrenal gland and lymph nodes are also removed.

• Partial Nephrectomy
  Partial nephrectomy is also referred to as nephron-sparing surgery or kidney-sparing surgery. In this surgical process, the surgeon removes the tumor along with a border of healthy tissue that it is surrounded with. Unlike nephrectomy, the entire kidney is not removed here.

Non-surgical Methods

• Cryoablation
  During this treatment, a hollow needle is put through the patient’s skin and then, into the kidney tumor using the ultrasound process. A good amount of cold gas is present in the needle to freeze the cancer cells.

• Radiofrequency Ablation
  In this procedure, an electric current is made to pass through the needle. The current reaches the cancer cells and burns them.