Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer is a disease characterized by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of malignant cells in kidney tissue. It usually develops in kidney tubule cells that are responsible for filtering blood. Kidney cancer primarily affects men over the age of 60, with risk factors such as smoking, obesity, hypertension, and a family history. In France, the incidence of kidney cancer has continued to increase in recent years. According to estimates, in 2023, 17,141 new cases were diagnosed.

The TNM score is a classification system used to assess the stage of a cancer, plan treatment, and predict prognosis.

Three parameters must be taken into account:

• The T describes the size and extent of the primary tumor
• The N indicates whether the cancer faces a regional lymph node extension
• The M indicates whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, called metastases

Kidney cancer is classified into four stages according to the TNM classification. Stage I corresponds to a tumor of less than 7 cm limited to the kidney. Stage II involves a larger tumor, larger than 7 cm, but still confined to the kidney. Stage III indicates local extension to nearby tissue or regional lymph nodes, without distant metastasis. Finally, stage IV is characterized by the spread of cancer cells to distant organs, such as the lungs, bones, or liver. Treatment varies by stage and may include surgery, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy.

The treatment of kidney cancer is based on a personalized approach that combines surgery, targeted therapies, immunotherapy and, in some cases, radiation therapy, depending on the stage of the disease, the histological type and the general condition of the patient.