Kidney cancer, or renal cell carcinoma, is listed among the ten most common forms of cancer that affect adult men and women in the U.S. Kidney cancer is particularly lethal as symptoms do not usually manifest themselves until the later stages of the disease, or after a tumor has grown significantly large. Oftentimes, kidney cancer is diagnosed in patients over 60 years old, but it can affect anyone, at any age.

Alarmingly enough, without the manifestation of symptoms during the onset of cancer, it is usually found accidentally during a routine test. Therefore, it’s important that you remain vigilant about the following early warning symptoms of renal cancer:

1. Hematuria (bloody urine)
Bloody urine is one of the most common telltale signs of kidney cancer. In fact, the Kidney Cancer Association proclaims that between 40-50% of all patients experience blood in their urine. However, it’s important to note that you may not see it in your urine but rather, it can change the color of your urine to brown, pink and red.

2. Lower back pain
Your kidneys are located in your lower back section. Back pain itself is a common ailment people over 40 face on a regular basis. This may occur as a result of disk degeneration, musculoskeletal injury or it can be a symptom of kidney cancer. Statistics indicate that 41% of kidney cancer patients report experiencing lower back pain.

3. Sudden weight loss
Approximately 28% of patients report sudden and unexpected weight loss. The medical community proclaims that cancer patients experience this as the tumor spreads throughout the body affecting multiple organs. As such, it is common for some patients to lose interest in eating, as well as to lose weight when they aren’t trying to lose it. It’s also important to note that many patients experienced fevers in addition to a loss of appetite.

4. Fatigue
Fatigue is arguably the most common symptom that many patients experience. Statistics show that approximately 70-95% of patients report that they feel extreme fatigue. Unlike the type of fatigue people get when they miss a few hours of sleep, cancer-induced-fatigue severely disrupts a person’s ability to function and remains persistent for weeks and months on end.

5. Anemia
Another 21% of patients also experience anemia. Anemia is a term that’s used to describe low red blood cell count. A healthy kidney sends signals to your body that it needs to make new red blood cells. However, cancer cells interfere with the signaling network between the kidney and the rest of the body. This can cause your red blood cell count to gradually get lower and lower. As the blood cell count drops, patients experience an onset of symptoms that get worse over time such as:

• Dizziness
• Pale skin
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath

6. Mass or lump around the abdomen
An unexplained lump or mass around the side or the back of your abdomen can indicate that you may have kidney cancer. This mass is usually hard and feels as if it’s getting harder and harder as the days and weeks go by. 45% of patients report that they had an abdominal mass. The problem with this is that kidney mass/lumps are very hard to locate, especially in the early stages of cancer. This is due to the fact that the kidney lies deep within the abdomen. As such, patients are not able to feel it as it grows beneath their muscle. In situations where doctors are able to locate the lump, they will usually conduct a series of diagnostic tests such as a CT scan or ultrasound. These tests help doctors to determine the underlying cause of the mass. However, in a vast majority of cases, doctors will not be able to make a diagnosis until they conduct a biopsy.