Treat Your Kidney Stones Before They Cause Cancer

Large kidney stones that are untreated could potentially turn into kidney cancer.

Highlights:

Kidney stones are a commonly occurring problem and are made up of millions of tiny crystals
A recent case shows that untreated kidney stones can cause cancer
This is due to damage to the walls of the kidney courtesy of the kidney stones

Kidney stones often go unnoticed and untreated. Here is a case of how important it is to treat kidney stones so they don’t cause cancer later on.

A middle-aged man ignored large stones in both of his kidneys and was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer years later. This case was reported in Lucknow, India.

Quiz on Kidney Stones
Kidney stones or calculus produces the most severe form of pain in humans. The pain has often been described to be worse than childbirth, broken bones, gunshot wounds, burns, or surgery. Once you form a kidney stone you are always susceptible to another stone. Take this quiz to find out how much do you know about stone disease. Once you complete find out how you fared compared to others who have taken the quiz.

‘Can kidney stones cause cancer? A man in Lucknow, India, has been diagnosed with kidney cancer after having untreated kidney stones.’

Cancer: A Terrible Consequence of Untreated Kidney Stones

According to his doctor, Prof. Vishwajeet Singh, head of the nephrology department at King George's Medical University, the man in question had bilateral staghorn stones, which are typically big and can cause substantial damage to the kidney walls if left untreated for an extended length of time. Squamous cell carcinoma, a kind of kidney cancer, is an uncommon but critical consequence of big kidney stones that go untreated.

Kidney stones and kidney cancer share a set of similar symptoms, like blood in the urine severe pain on one side of the lower back, and fever. If it goes untreated, kidney cancer can spread to other organs and become more challenging to treat.

Doctors caution that patients frequently disregard kidney stones if the pain is not severe or chronic. This delay in seeking medical care may result in more serious health problems, as in the case of the middle-aged man in Lucknow, whose cancer has spread to other organs.

Kidney Stones can Now be Removed Easily and Painlessly
Kidney stones can now be passed out without pain, reveals a new study. Pain caused by the contractions in the ureter, while passing a stone could be alleviated using muscle relaxants.

Early detection and Treatment is Key

Doctors often stress the importance of early detection and treatment of kidney stones. This is done to prevent complications like kidney cancer.

The individual is currently receiving treatment and chemotherapy from the oncology department.

The man would have been living a normal life if he had undertaken the procedure, but his ignorance exacerbated the condition.

Kidney Stone Prevention - Types, Treatment
Kidney stones are small stones that develop in urine containing increased levels of calcium, uric acid, or cysteine. Prevent kidney stones by drinking lots of water and fluids.

What are Kidney Stones?

A kidney stone is a solid, pebble-like piece of material that can form in one or both of your kidneys when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine. Kidney stones rarely cause permanent damage if treated by a healthcare professional ().

Drugs for Kidney Stones - Treatment and Prevention
Drugs for kidney stones are used to treat the symptoms of the condition and to prevent new stones from forming.

What is Kidney Cancer?

Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. When cancer starts in the kidney, it is called kidney and renal pelvis cancer. It can also be called renal cell cancer as that is the most common type of kidney and renal pelvis cancer ().

Can Kidney Stones Cause Kidney Cancer?

Studies have shown that there is a link between kidney stones and kidney cancer. The risk increases depending on when kidney stones first occur. People who were diagnosed with kidney stones below or at the age of 40 years old had an increased risk of kidney cancer compared to those who received their diagnosis later in life ().
References:

Information about Kidney Stones - (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones)
What Are the Kidneys? - (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/kidney/index.htm)
Kidney stones and the risk of renal cell carcinoma and upper tract urothelial carcinoma: the Netherlands Cohort Study - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30563989/)

Source-Medindia