What do you need to know about renal cancer?

Several things: Tumor type (usually clear cell renal cell carcinoma). Tumor grade (fuhrman grades 1-4, with 4 the highest/worst) tumor stage (separated by extent of local tumor: invasion into vessels or fat surrounding the kidney; lymph node or distant organ metastasis). These factors are used to determine extent of surgery, type of chemotherapy, and other treatments.

Renal cancer: Need to know the stage of the cancer- whether surgery can be done or not. If surgery can be done (total/partial)-you need to know what other treatment after surgery needed. If evidence of spreading of kidney cancer to other organ. You need to know the treatment options- oral targetted therapy such as sunitinib, pazopanib, etc., risk and benefits etc. See & discuss with your oncologist & urologist.

Hematuria: Blood in urine is one of the signs/symptoms of renal cancer. Do not ignore even a single episode of blood in urine. The urine may look smokey rather than red.