March is a time for filtering out and getting rid of things that we no longer need; a time for spring
cleaning. March is also the time to recognize a disease that affects the very organ that cleanses our blood,
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rids our bodies of waste and produces urine. This organ is the kidney, the disease is kidney cancer or
renal cancer, and March is Kidney Cancer Awareness Month.
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Kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers in adults. When kidney cells grow and divide
abnormally producing cancer some symptoms are: fever that lasts a long time, pain in the side or lower
back, fatigue, weight loss, blood in the urine, loss of appetite, and anemia or fewer red blood cells than
normal.
Reduce the Risk:
Some factors that may put us at a higher risk for kidney cancer include: being over the age of 40 years,
being overweight, smoking, exposure to certain chemicals, having kidney disease or being on dialysis, and
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high blood pressure. Kidney cancer occurs more often in males than in females.
Steps to take to reduce the risk of kidney cancer:
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Maintain a healthy weight for your height
Do not smoke
Avoid exposure to certain chemicals (cadmium, organic solvents)
Know your family history of cancer or kidney diseases
Resources:
“The C Word” is a news brief of the GRU Cancer Center. For cancer information visit: www.gru.edu/community. To request exhibits or
speaking engagements, contact Chavone Hollimon, MSM, Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected] or 706-446-5122.
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WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/cancer/understanding-kidney-cancer
American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org/cancer/kidneycancer/
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Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-cancer/basics/definition/con-20024753
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GRU Cancer Center
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Mailing address: 1120 15th Street, CN-3115, Augusta, Georgia 30912
t. (706) 721-xxxx
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Physical address: 1411 Laney Walker Blvd., Augusta, Georgia 30912
f. (706) 721-xxxx