Breakthrough treatments are improving outcomes for kidney cancer patients, but non-specific symptoms can cause dangerous delays in diagnoses. Kidney cancer is a frequently diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and one that kills more than 14,770 Americans every year. Among the problems that face patients are symptoms that sometimes fail to present early — and may not lead people to head to the doctors office when they do. “The symptoms can be minimal and not very specific,” says Amir Mortazavi, MD, the co-director, Division of Medical Oncology and director of clinical operations at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). While some of the symptoms of kidney cancer, including blood in the urine and an abdominal mass or pain, may cause immediate alarm, others — anemia, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite — might not raise red flags. “These days, kidney cancer is often diagnosed incidentally, because of the use of newer imaging tests and an increased use of these imaging tools, for various abdominal complaints,” Mortazavi says. While the presence of one or a combination of these symptoms don’t necessarily point to kidney cancer, they should be taken seriously, especially by those with any of the following known risk factors: Smoking Obesity High blood pressure/hypertension Long-term exposure to certain chemicals, such as cadmium, petroleum products, and some herbicides and solvents Family history and certain genetic syndromes, such as von Hippel-Landau and tuberous sclerosis Long-term, chronic kidney disease When kidney cancer is diagnosed, patients at the OSUCCC – James partner with a dedicated team of experts who use the latest techniques and technology to break new ground in treatment. “With the introduction of new targeted therapies and immunotherapy, the median survival rate is now two-and-a-half times longer for patients with advanced kidney cancer,” he says. Those targeted therapies allow doctors to tailor treatment plans on a per-patient basis—an important facet of kidney cancer care, due to the variability of the disease and severity. “There are different grades and histologies of kidney cancer, and some are more aggressive than others,” Mortazavi says. “You can have a large tumor that never metastasizes and spreads, or a smaller tumor that spreads rapidly.” That variation is a big reason why partnering with kidney cancer patients on clinical research is such an important part of the work of Mortazavi and his colleagues. “In addition to basic research and better understanding of the biology of kidney cancer, we critically need patients to volunteer for the important clinical trials testing new therapies and their combinations,” Mortazavi says. “These efforts will ensure a better future for our patients.” Learn more about kidney cancer treatment at The James