Serious Warning Signs Of Kidney Cancer

Bone Pain

An individual who has kidney cancer that spreads from the kidneys to another part of their body is considered to have metastatic kidney cancer. One of the most common parts of the body affected by metastatic kidney cancer is the bones. Around one-third of individuals diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma will be diagnosed with cancer in their bones. When an individual develops cancer in their bones, the delicate balance of bone tissue breakdown and rebuilding is disrupted. Cancerous cells can cause the bones to become excessively weak and break, which causes an affected individual to feel bone pain as a symptom. The exact reason why kidney cancer tends to spread to the bone tissues in many cases is not clear, but it is thought to be associated with the close proximity of the kidneys to large bones like the spinal column and pelvic bone.

Shortness Of Breath

Along with the bones, the lungs are also a common part of the body for kidney cancer to spread to. When cancer spreads from the kidneys to the lung tissues, it causes damage to the air sacs that facilitate the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in their blood. When the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are functionally or structurally compromised, the surface area inside of the lung becomes reduced. Reduced lung surface area means the blood moving through the capillaries in the lungs does not get enough oxygen to meet the demand of the individual's body. When the oxygen concentration in an individual's blood is too low, their brain tells their lungs to work harder and faster to help increase blood oxygen levels. When the lungs are working under this kind of stress, the affected individual will experience symptoms related to poor lung function like shortness of breath.