Are kidney cancer and uremia the same?

Written by Zeng Zhong

Urology

Updated on April 22, 2025

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Kidney cancer and uremia are not the same disease; they are different. Kidney cancer is primarily caused by malignant tumors in the kidney, while uremia results from renal failure of both kidneys, leading to anuria. Kidney cancer requires surgical treatment, followed by postoperative radiotherapy, chemotherapy, molecular therapy, gene therapy, and so on. Patients with uremia generally need to be treated through hemodialysis.

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Dietary precautions for renal cancer

Kidney cancer patients should be cautious with their diet and there are three types of food they should absolutely avoid: First, foods high in salt. Kidney cancer patients often suffer from severe kidney dysfunction, leading to edema. Consuming salty foods can increase the body's sodium content, causing sodium retention which is not metabolized in time, exacerbating the swelling. Second, high-fat foods. Excessive fat can also lead to weight gain, and high body fat can burden the kidneys. Third, foods high in potassium. With kidney cancer, patients often have inadequate kidney function and produce less urine, leading to high levels of potassium in the body. Consuming foods high in potassium can further increase blood potassium levels. Therefore, it's advisable for kidney cancer patients to avoid fruits and vegetables high in potassium.

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Kidney cancer most commonly metastasizes to which locations?

Kidney cancer clinically tends to metastasize through direct spread, the lymphatic pathway, and the hematogenous pathway. The lymphatic route often involves enlargement of the perirenal lymph nodes or the lymph nodes in the groin or retroperitoneum. Kidney cancer is also prone to metastasize to the lungs, liver, bones, and other parts via the bloodstream. Similarly, kidney cancer can spread to the perirenal area, ureters, bladder, and other parts through direct extension. Once kidney cancer metastasizes to other organs, it is considered to be in the advanced stages clinically, and treatment primarily involves targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and other comprehensive treatment measures, with surgical treatment not being used as the primary anti-tumor treatment. Once kidney cancer has metastasized, the clinical staging is late, and the prognosis for the patients is poor.

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Written by Li Yuan Wei

Urology

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Clinical manifestations of renal cancer

The clinical manifestations and staging of kidney cancer are related to the most common early-stage kidney cancer, late-stage kidney cancer, or metastatic kidney cancer. Generally, early-stage kidney cancer exhibits few clinical symptoms and is often detected during physical examinations, through ultrasonography of the urinary tract, or kidney ultrasonography, where tumors are the most commonly found. Additionally, later stages of kidney cancer often present as swelling pain in the waist area or occasional hematuria. More serious conditions involve feeling a mass in the upper abdomen upon palpation, which is a clinical manifestation. Nowadays, with heightened awareness for health checks, such conditions are generally discovered through these examinations. When major clinical manifestations like hematuria and abdominal masses occur, it indicates that the kidney tumor has already progressed to the mid or late stages.

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Written by Zou De Bo

Urology

1min 13sec

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Difference between Renal Cancer and Renal Pelvis Cancer

First, the sites of the disease are different; renal pelvis cancer usually occurs in the epithelium of the renal pelvis or calyces, while renal cancer typically originates from the epithelial cells of the renal tubules. Second, the presentations are different; hematuria is a common symptom of both renal pelvis cancer and renal cancer. However, in renal pelvis cancer, hematuria can occur early, while in renal cancer, hematuria may not be seen until the tumor has invaded the renal pelvis or calyces. Third, the diagnostic tests are different; the clinical diagnosis of renal cancer heavily relies on CT scans, whereas renal pelvis cancer primarily depends on excretory or retrograde urography, that is, CT urography. Fourth, the CT appearances are different; on CT scans, renal cancer typically shows as a multicystic lesion with more pronounced enhancement during contrast than that seen in renal pelvis cancer. Fifth, the results of cytological examinations are different; cytology of renal pelvis cancer may show positive tumor cells, but renal cancer might test negative.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

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Is kidney cancer contagious?

Kidney cancer is not contagious; most kidney cancers originate from malignant tumors caused by renal tubular epithelial cells. The clinical symptoms of this type of kidney cancer mainly include hematuria and abdominal masses, which may also affect kidney function. Kidney cancer is mostly not associated with any pathogens, such as bacteria or viruses, hence there are no infectious causes for kidney cancer. Currently, the medical community does not have a clear understanding of the causes, which may be related to unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking, as well as genetic factors, obesity, hypertension, heavy metal poisoning, and other reasons. Since there are no pathogens involved, there is no contagion.