General Information About Renal Cell Cancer Key Points for This
Section - Renal cell cancer is a disease in which malignant
(cancer) cells form in tubules of the kidney. - Smoking and
misuse of certain pain medicines can affect the risk of renal
cell cancer. - Possible signs of renal cell cancer include blood
in the urine and a lump in the abdomen. - Tests that examine the
abdomen and kidneys are used to detect (find) and diagnose renal
cell cancer. - Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of
recovery) and treatment options. Renal cell cancer (also called
kidney cancer or renal adenocarcinoma) is a disease in which
malignant (cancer) cells are found in the lining of tubules
(very small tubes) in the kidney. There are 2 kidneys, one on
each side of the backbone, above the waist. The tiny tubules in
the kidneys filter and clean the blood, taking out waste
products and making urine. The urine passes from each kidney
into the bladder through a long tube called a ureter. The
bladder stores the urine until it is