Each year, more than 350,000 new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed worldwide. The incidence of the disease is steadily increasing, particularly in Western countries, where behavioral factors (especially smoking and obesity) and environmental factors related to pollution are leading to an increased risk of developing the disease.
The disease affects both men and women and is often discovered by chance or during screening examinations in the absence of obvious symptoms. In these cases, the prognosis is generally very good with complete recovery after treatment by the urologist.
In about one-third of cases, the tumor is unfortunately identified by the presence of symptoms (e.g., flank pain, blood in the urine, fever), and the prognosis is unfortunately compromised by the presence of a much more aggressive disease.
Scientific data have now confirmed that in many cases action can be taken by removing only the diseased part of the kidney or by subjecting the patient to alternative treatments, such as burning or freezing the tumor percutaneously.
In some particular cases, the patient may even go for simple observation over time because, especially when diagnosed early and small, kidney masses often turn out to be benign or low-aggression diseases.
When surgery becomes necessary, improvements in minimally invasive surgical techniques (especially robotic surgery) and the development of new biologic immunotherapy drugs are helping to improve long-term quality of life and oncologic control in even the most severe cases.
Nowadays, kidney cancer represents one of those examples in medicine where efforts in basic and clinical research have made great strides, improving not only the survival of patients but also their quality of life. Fundamental, however, is to lead a healthy lifestyle, undergo periodic medical checkups, especially in those at risk (smokers, hypertensives, those with a family history or those who are overweight), and never underestimate our body's signals and the appearance of new symptoms.
Dr. Umberto Capitanio is one of the leading experts and scholars of kidney cancer: he has conducted specific studies and published numerous scientific articles in the most important national and international journals.
At Life Clinic he practices as a specialist for consultations and day surgeries, but it is at San Raffaele Hospital that he performs surgeries for kidney disease and beyond using robotic technology.
