Renal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney cancer in which the cancerous cells are found in the lining of very small tubes (tubules) in the kidney.

Renal cancer; Kidney cancer; Hypernephroma; Adenocarcinoma of renal cells; Cancer - kidney

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. It occurs most often in men ages 50 - 70.

The exact cause is unknown.

Risk factors include:

• Dialysis treatment
• Family history of the disease
• Genetics
• High blood pressure
• Horseshoe kidney
• Smoking
• Von Hippel-Lindau disease (a hereditary disease that affects the capillaries of the brain, eyes, and other body parts)

Images

Kidney anatomy

Kidney tumor - CT scan

Kidney - blood and urine flow

Kidney metastases, CT scan

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Renal cell carcinoma Symptoms

Review Date: 03/02/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)