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Renal cell carcinoma is turning more fatal

22/Sep/2006: Deaths resulting from ‘Renal cell Carcinoma’ or ‘Kidney Cancer’ continues to rise, in spite of the fact that many new cases are being diagnosed and treated early, according to a report released by researchers at University of Michigan.

Off late, even small tumors in kidneys caused by renal cell carcinoma are detected and treated easily using advanced technologies, but this has not prevented the deaths caused by the disease, which has puzzled many scientists in this field.

Renal cell carcinoma or kidney cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that occurs in reproductive and urinary systems and is prevalent in women above 40 years of age. The survival rate of patients affected by kidney cancer is very low, with an estimate provided by the American Cancer Society, stating that 12,840 people will die of this disease in United States, this year. According to this estimate, nearly 38,890 new cases of renal cell carcinoma will be recorded in U.S this year.

In the study carried out by the researchers at the University of Michigan, data on 34,503 patients who had kidney cancer was collected and analyzed. On analysis of the data, the researchers found that the incidence of kidney cancer rose by over 52% in the period from 1983 to 2002, from 7.1 to 10.8 cases in 100,000 people. Dr. Brent K. Hollenbeck, senior author of this study, said that the research showed no reduction in the kidney cancer mortality rates, in spite of the increase in detection and treatment of small tumors. According to this study, over all deaths from kidney cancer went up from 1.2 to 3.2 cases per 100, 000 people in the corresponding period.

Dr. John M. Hollingsworth, the co-author of this study said that, the number of people with larger lethal tumors caused by renal cell carcinoma has not decreased, even though many cases are being detected and treated at the earlier stages it self, preventing small tumors from growing in to larger ones. Large tumors in kidneys often lead to death. A few experts believe that the high death rate of this disease can be attributed to the lack of effective chemotherapy drugs, for treating patients after removing their tumors through surgeries. Dr. Herman Kattlove, a medical editor at the American Cancer Society, feels that unavailability of effective drugs for kidney cancer is the major reason for the high mortality rates and we need to develop new drugs that could control this disease at the postoperative state, before it spreads.

Kesavan Siva

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