Symptoms of Kidney Cancer

If you have kidney cancer, you may not notice symptoms in the early stages. As the cancer grows, however, symptoms may start to appear. Here's what you should know.

What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?

Kidney cancer often causes no symptoms in its early stages.

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As the cancer grows, it can cause symptoms such as:

• Blood in your urine. Blood in your urine (hematuria) is one of the most common signs of kidney cancer. Other tumors, such as bladder cancer or prostate cancer tumors, can also cause hematuria. Kidney stones and infections can also cause blood in your urine. You may be able to see the blood easily in your urine. But the blood cells may show up only in a urine test.
• Pain in your side or lower back. Side and back pains that are not from an injury can be symptoms of kidney cancer. The tumor growing and pushing against nearby organs causes the pain. You usually feel pain on only one side.
• A lump in your kidney area. If you feel a lump in the area of your kidney (your lower back or side) and have not had an injury, you may have a tumor. The lump may also be painful.
• Tiredness. Chronic tiredness is a common problem for people with cancer. Anemia, a low number of red blood cells, is usually the cause. Blood tests can detect anemia. Most cancers and many diseases can also cause anemia.
• Fast weight loss. Weight loss that happens quickly without any effort to lose weight can be a sign of kidney cancer.
• Other symptoms. Kidney cancer can also cause loss of appetite, swelling in your legs and ankles, and a fever.

When to see your healthcare provider

To confirm you have symptoms of kidney cancer, or another health problem, you should see a doctor. Only a specialist called an oncologist can tell if you have cancer.

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