Symptoms of Kidney Cancer

By James Hughes | September 10, 2025 | Comments Off on Symptoms of Kidney Cancer
Home care helps kidney cancer patients manage daily life during treatment and recovery.

Home care helps kidney cancer patients manage daily life during treatment and recovery.

The kidneys are two fist-sized organs that are located behind a person’s abdominal organs in the torso.  Although small, these kidney-shaped organs have some pretty big responsibilities within the body.

Kidneys are needed to help the body get rid of waste and remove extra fluid from the body, with their primary function relating to filtering blood – they filter about 200 quarts a day. They also play an important part in creating red blood cells and regulating blood pressure. Each person is born with two, but can often function with just one healthy kidney.

When cancer occurs in adults, it is often renal cell carcinoma. The number of people being diagnosed with kidney cancer has been growing over the years. Treatment of kidney cancer can include surgery, medical support, home care support, and family care.

 

Kidney Cancer Symptoms

Usually, kidney cancer doesn’t present many symptoms in the early stages and is often caught as a physician is looking into another health issue, like kidney stones or back pain. When it does cause symptoms, those symptoms can include:

  • Blood in the urine. This is the most common sign of kidney cancer. It can also be a symptom of several other serious health issues, so it should always be checked out.
  • A consistent dull ache or pain in the sides of the torso, lower back, or abdomen.
  • A lump or mass on the back or side.
  • Edema in the legs or ankles. A tumor may make it difficult for the kidneys to remove extra fluid from the body, causing it to build up in the lower extremities.
  • Persistent fatigue or general malaise
  • Weight loss
  • A fever for more than a few weeks

 

Kidney Cancer Risk Factors

Several factors can increase the risk of a person developing kidney cancer:

  • Age. Kidney cancer is more likely to occur the older a person gets.
  • Smoking. Smoking will increase the risk, and the longer a person has smoked, the greater his risk becomes.
  • Obesity. The risk grows more with the amount of extra weight a person carries.
  • High blood pressure. Hypertension has been linked to kidney cancer.
  • Family history. A close family member, such as a parent or sibling who has had kidney cancer, increases the risk factor.

 

Home Care Support During Kidney Cancer Treatment

If your loved one has kidney cancer, their doctor can help you know what kind of treatments your loved one needs. As with most cancers, if it is caught in an early stage, the treatment is usually less severe and recovery is quicker. But no matter what stage the cancer is at, your loved one may need some assistance as he recovers.

For some families, they can have their loved one stay with them during treatment, or someone can stay at the loved one’s home. For other families, the assistance of a home care team can help their loved one manage their home, personal care, and physical needs while they are going through treatment. A home care team can help maintain the home while your loved one recovers during treatment.

If your loved one is struggling to find the energy needed to make healthy meals during his recovery, a home care provider can also help him with his meals.  Your loved one may think he won’t need any help as he goes through the treatment process, but having a home care provider help can allow him the ability to focus on his personal recovery instead of taking care of daily chores and other responsibilities.

 

 

 

If you or someone you know needs Home Care in Gulf Shores, AL, please contact the friendly caregivers at  Hughes Home Care. We provide quality and affordable care for your elderly loved ones in our community. Serving Mobile & Baldwin County. Call us today at (251) 517-9901  

James Hughes
Latest posts by James Hughes (see all)
Posted in Home Care