Noticing blood in your urine seems deadly but what does it lead to? Reddish or pinkish urine is the first sign of kidney cancer. You don't even know when any small symptom can lead to a chronic disease. Nights of sweating and feeling always tired force you to visit a doctor. This happened to me a few months back when my aunt got diagnosed with kidney cancer from Jinnah Memorial Hospital, Rawalpindi. It was a terrible experience for me because I stayed with her for two week in the hospital. During this period, I came across many astonishing facts about our health, our body and certain diseases. Coming to the kidneys, they are one of the vital organs like the brain and heart. Let's gain more interesting information regarding the function of kidneys and their cancer.
What Causes Kidney Cancer?
Like other cancers, DNA of one or both kidneys' cells get mutated. This genetic mutation leads to the uncontrolled division and growth of the cells. Besides genes, some of the most common causes of kidney cancer are as follows.
● First thing first, smoking and other Tobacco products are going to kill you. Steer away from them as fast as you can.
● Obesity is the leading cause of many deadly diseases including cancer.
● People of old age are more susceptible to kidney cancer than young people.
● Exposure to cadmium can lead to this menacing cancer.
● People having cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure can ultimately lead to kidney cancer.
● Sometimes, when you get your kidney treated or stones removed, as a result of an infection, cells start growing abnormally.
● People who use medicine excessively get more prone to cancer.
● Men are likely to get kidney cancer more often than women.
Early Warning Signs to Notice:
I'll share the signs I noticed in my aunt before diagnosing but we confused them. You don't have to neglect any of these points. I have discussed these signs with Urologists in Rawalpindi before noting them down.
● Stabbing pain or pressure in the side or on back
● Hypertension
● Feeling tired or fatigue
● Not feeling hungry
● Sudden Weight loss without any effort
● Decrease in the count of Red Blood Cells leading to anemia
● Sometimes, ankles and legs of the patients hey swollen
● Feeling a lump on your back or in your abdomen
● Blood in the urine as a first sign
How Can You Prevent Kidney Cancer?
Whatever a disease is, it can always be prevented. Taking a few steps, sticking to them can be helpful to avoid weeks of treatment. Some of the effective ways to avoid kidney cancer are as detailed below.
● Maintain your diet. Eat in portions. Don't eat too much at one time. Hire a nutritionist and get your diet-plan customized well.
● Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. Water is going to protect your body against many diseases.
● Add more proteins in your meal like beans, leafy green vegetables and meat.
● Have more fruits in your day as a snack.
● Many fruitful vegetables which are a source of minerals and vitamins are beneficial for preventing carcinoma.
● Eat whole wheat pasta, bread and starches.
● Quit smoking and other numerous tobacco products to avoid severe effects
● Steer away from alcohol and never look back!
● Be athletic. Fix your body weight and do exercise regularly. Staying fit keeps many diseases away from you.
● Keep a regular check on your blood pressure. Monitor it more often. Try to fix your diet in order to maintain a suitable level of blood pressure.
Dealing With Kidney Cancer!
After so many ways of prevention, no one wants to take a turn to treatment ways. Kidney cancer can be curable completely if it's diagnosed on time. Now, more therapies and methods are innovated to treat such diseases. 75% of the patients suffering from kidney carcinoma survive while the rest of the 25% lose their lives to it.
Though, some of the ways to treat carcinoma include
● radiation therapy
● chemotherapy
● Surgery
● targeted therapy
● Immunotherapy
The treatment ways are painful to some extent and have very rare chances of being successful 100%. Hence, it should be your priority to take care of yourself, keep a check on what you are eating and avoid bad habits like smoking. These innovative steps will improve your overall health besides kidney cancer.
