Kidney Cancer Symptoms

In the early stages, you may not notice any symptoms of kidney cancer, which can make it hard to detect. More often than not, kidney cancer is spotted by chance when you have an imaging test for another health concern. In those cases, it’s often found early, when less invasive treatment options may work and the likelihood of cure is high.

Signs and symptoms of kidney cancer

If you notice any kidney cancer symptoms, contact a health care provider. Symptoms may be signs of kidney cancer or another health condition. Your provider can evaluate your symptoms, recommend testing and make a diagnosis.

If you have kidney cancer, finding it and treating it early can make it more likely you’ll recover. Here are some key symptoms you should watch for:

• Blood in your urine (pee): One of the most common symptoms of kidney cancer is blood in the urine (hematuria). Blood may make your urine look pink, red or brown. Other conditions, not just kidney cancer, can cause blood in the urine. Your provider can help figure out the cause.
• Lower back pain: Pain in your lower back or side that’s not due to an injury or strain may be a sign of kidney cancer. In some cases, the pain may be dull, while in others it’s sharp. It may be there all the time or it may come and go. 
• Fatigue or weakness: If you still feel tired or weak after you’ve had enough rest and restorative sleep, it could be a sign of some type of cancer, including kidney cancer. 
• Weight loss: Losing weight without changing your diet or activity levels can be a warning sign of various health conditions, including kidney cancer. It’s considered unexplained weight loss if you lose 10 pounds, or 5% of your body weight, in six to 12 months.
• Little or no appetite: With kidney cancer, you might not feel hungry. Or you might feel full after eating a small amount of food.
• Anemia: Your kidneys help your body make red blood cells, so you may have low amounts of red blood cells if you have kidney cancer. But many other health conditions can also cause anemia.

With more advanced cancer, you may notice:

• Swelling in the legs or ankles, since the tumor may be making it hard for your kidneys to remove fluid from your body.
• High blood pressure, since your kidneys help regulate your blood pressure.
• A fever that’s not caused by an infection. It may be long-lasting or may come and go.
• A mass or lump in the abdomen or side that you can feel, if the tumor is large.
• Generally feeling unwell.

Learn about tests and diagnosis for kidney cancer.