SPOT CHECK
Urgent warning as most cases of common cancer are spotted by accident and ‘diagnosed too late’
Read on for seven symptoms of the disease to know
FOUR in five cases of a common cancer are spotted by accident, a chilling report has revealed.
And more than a quarter of people with the disease are only being diagnosed once it's progressed to a later stage.
1
About 13,800 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer in the UK each year - that amounts to 38 new cases spotted every day.
According to published by (KCUK), the disease has now become the sixth most common cancer in men and women in the UK, with cases expected to increase by 15 per cent by 2040.
The charity surveyed hundreds of people living with kidney cancer and found 80 per cent had their disease spotted by accident.
"More than half of patients - 54.5 per cent - are incidentally diagnosed with kidney cancer whilst having a scan or test for another, unrelated condition," KCUK said in its report.
Read more on kidney cancer
This figure rose from the 48.3 per cent recorded in the previous annual survey.
Another 8.9 per cent were diagnosed with kidney cancer following tests after going to A&E feeling unwell and 7.9 per cent found out following a GP visit unrelated to kidney cancer.
Meanwhile, 21.8 per cent of the patients surveyed got their diagnosis after visiting their GP feeling unwell and being sent for further tests.
"The majority of new cases are found in patients aged between 60 and 85," the report authors said.
Most read in Health
"These patients should be receiving annual routine health checks, but only 4.4 per cent of kidney cancer cases are picked up in this way."
Though most people were diagnosed with the disease after experiencing symptoms, just over 37 per cent had no signs of kidney cancer.
The report highlighted that there is currently "no convenient, cheap test for kidney cancer".
"However, helping GPs and other primary care health professionals to identify a pattern of all, or most of, the common symptoms, could encourage them to refer the patient for further tests at an earlier stage," it added.
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, told he was one of the 80 per cent whose cancer was spotted by accident, after finding out he had the disease from emergency department doctors in 2021.
“I am part of the four in five who was diagnosed with kidney cancer following a trip to A&E or after being referred for another condition,” he told the publication.
“I went in with kidney stones, but came out with a cancer diagnosis.
“When it comes to fighting cancer, every second counts, yet this report confirms Lord Darzi’s concerns that too many people are only being diagnosed at a late stage.
He said: "I want to see a system where more people get the right tests, at the right time, and are given the best possible chance of beating this disease.”
Lord Darzi conducted an investigation into the UK's health services, producing a damning report which found that NHS is in a "critical condition" amid surging waiting lists and worsening health outcomes.
Referral guideline overhaul
KCUK's survey also showed that 18 per cent of patients waited between one and three months to get a kidney cancer diagnosis and another 18 per cent waited over a year.
Meanwhile, more than a quarter (26 per cent) were diagnosed at stage 3.
At this stage, the cancer will typically have spread from the kidney to surrounding tissue, important blood vessels or lymph nodes, according to Cancer Research UK.
Any delays in diagnosing the condition could make it harder to treat.
Around 4,500 people die each year from the disease – about 13 a day.
The charity presented a number of recommendations aiming at getting patients earlier diagnoses, calling for an overhaul of guidance used recognising and referring patients with suspected kidney cancer.
"Currently, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline identifies blood in the urine as the only early symptom of kidney cancer," it wrote.
"It is important that this guideline is updated to reflect the full range of kidney cancer symptoms."
The ‘silent’ symptom of killer kidney cancer that strikes at night – and 6 other signs you must never ignore
THERE are often no obvious symptoms of kidney cancer, so it can be pretty tricky to spot.
But experts say there are some signs of the killer disease you can be on the lookout for.
The most common is blood in the urine, known as haematuria, according to Cancer Research UK (CRUK).
It won't necessarily be there all the time, but you should always see your GP if it's ever-present.
One of the more unusual indicators is "very heavy" sweating.
The bizarre symptom, which often strikes at night, can also occur alongside a high temperature or fever.
While most people who experience this won't have kidney cancer, it is important to get yourself checked out.
Other symptoms worth keeping an eye on include:
- A lump or swelling in your back, under your ribs, or in your neck
- Pain between your ribs and waist that does not go away
- Loss of appetite
- Losing weight without trying to
- Feeling tired or having no energy
The kidneys are two small organs on either side of your spine, just below your ribs.
Cancer of the kidney, also called renal cancer, happens when abnormal cells start to divide and grow in an uncontrolled way.
It is most common in people over 60, and is more frequently diagnosed in men than women.
Smoking and being overweight or obese increase your risk of developing it.
Around 13,300 kidney cancers are diagnosed in the UK each year, CRUK says.
There are about 4,700 deaths annually - or 13 every day.
It is the seventh most common cancer in the UK.
How it is treated depends on what type of kidney cancer you have, where it is and how big it is, if it has spread, and your general health.
Surgery, cryotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, targeted medicines, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are all options
The report added: "A lack of comprehensive early recognition guidance means that kidney cancer may not be immediately identified.
"Twenty-one per cent of patients in our survey said they were initially misdiagnosed and treated for other illnesses."
Most kidney cancer patients surveyed by the charity suffered pain in the side before being diagnosed, followed by fatigue, blood in urine and night sweats.
"Supporting GPs, nurses and pharmacists in recognising patterns of symptoms would help them to identify patients needing specialist investigation and refer them earlier," KCUK said.
A NICE spokesperson told The Sun: “NICE has published detailed guidelines for the recognition and referral of suspected cancer cases for patients and healthcare professionals.
“It includes recommendations on symptoms of concern in adults, such as loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and haematuria, which could indicate urological cancers, including renal cancer.
“The guideline recommends when these symptoms are detected an assessment should be carried out for additional symptoms, signs or findings that may help to clarify which cancer is most likely, and people should be offered an urgent investigation or a suspected cancer pathway referral.
Read More on The Sun
“We follow an established process when making sure our published guidelines are current and accurate and take a proactive approach to responding to events that may impact on our recommendations
“Separately to this, NICE is also currently developing the first national guidelines on kidney cancer and further updates will follow in due course.”
Topics