Benign kidney tumors may not always produce symptoms. Usually, people receive a diagnosis when undergoing tests for another reason. Symptoms, if they occur, may include blood in the urine and a mass or pain in the side.
Doctors may use diagnostic tools such as physical exams, blood tests, urinalysis, biopsy, and imaging if they suspect a person has a kidney tumor or tumors. They base the decision about surgical removal on several factors, such as the size and number of tumors.
There are many types of benign kidney tumors, but this article will discuss only two types: angiomyolipomas and oncocytomas.
This article will mainly discuss the symptoms of these benign kidney tumors, as well as diagnosis and treatment. It will also examine the symptoms of a cancerous kidney tumor.
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A benign kidney tumor is a noncancerous mass in the kidney. While these tumors can grow and cause difficulties, they do not spread to other parts of the body.
There are several types of benign kidney tumors. Angiomyolipomas are the most common, and they occur more frequently in females. Oncocytomas are not common and happen more often in males.
Angiomyolipoma symptoms
According to a
However, sometimes these tumors can produce the following:
- blood in the urine
- pain in the flank, which is the side of the body between the ribs and hips
- a mass in the flank that is palpable, meaning a person can feel it
- urinary tract infections
- anemia
- kidney failure
Oncocytoma symptoms
As with angiomyolipomas, oncocytomas
- profuse bleeding
- flank pain
- a mass in the flank
Learn more about kidney masses.
Doctors
In cases where a doctor suspects a kidney tumor, some common diagnostic tools they use include:
- a medical history
- a physical exam
- blood tests, including a metabolic panel and complete blood count
- urinalysis to check for:
- protein
- blood
- infections
- kidney function tests to determine how well the kidneys are removing waste
- imaging
Imaging may involve a CT scan, in which masses with
A
If someone has an angiomyolipoma that is not causing symptoms, a doctor may
Options may include many of the same choices that exist for cancerous tumors, such as surgical removal or radiofrequency ablation, which involves using heat to destroy the tumor. Doctors may choose ablation if an individual
Although an oncocytoma can grow very large, this type of tumor does not typically spread to other organs, so surgery is a frequent cure.
Various factors determine whether a tumor requires removal and, if so, what type of procedure may be best. These include:
- the size and number of tumors
- a person’s symptoms
- whether tumors are in one or both kidneys
- the person’s overall health
A cancerous tumor may cause some of the same symptoms as a benign tumor, such as:
- blood in the urine
- a mass in the flank
- flank pain
Other symptoms may
- frequent tiredness
- loss of appetite
- unintentional weight loss
- a general sense of reduced health
- recurring fevers
- bowel blockage
About one in four kidney tumors are benign.
Learn more about the symptoms of kidney cancer.
Several types of benign kidney tumors exist. Symptoms include blood in the urine and pain or a palpable mass in the flank. However, doctors often find these tumors when people undergo tests for another condition. At this point, they usually produce no symptoms.
Doctors may perform a full diagnostic workup if they suspect someone has a benign kidney tumor. A CT scan that shows a mass with a high fat content may suggest a benign rather than a cancerous tumor.
If a tumor is small and not causing symptoms, a doctor may just monitor it, but surgical removal or destruction with radiofrequency ablation is sometimes necessary. A cancerous kidney tumor may cause the same symptoms as a benign tumor, as well as loss of appetite, unintended weight loss, and recurring fevers.