#kideney

Fixing Filters

We’re all wasteful. Waste products ooze out from almost every busy cell in our bodies. And eventually this unwanted cargo needs to be syphoned off and disposed of. Our kidneys filter the rubbish from the recyclable, and the first step in the process is carried out by a tuft of blood vessels called the glomerulus. Lining these vessels are tiny filter cells called podocytes. But these are often a weak point exploited by kidney diseases, and can be harmed by the very drugs designed to stave off further illness. To study kidney function, researchers wanted to grow glomerulus structures on an artificial chip, but struggled to reliably generate the crucial podocytes. But they’ve now overcome this barrier, by steering stem cells to develop into podocytes, pictured here in purple on an artificial surface. Now they can begin to filter out the most promising new therapies for kidney disease.

Written by Anthony Lewis

Image from the Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

Image copyright held by original authors

Research published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, May 2017

Kidney Cancer or Hypernephroma or Renal cancer forms in the lining of tiny tubes inside the kidneys. It happens most often in people at the age of 40 and some of the major risks arise due to smoking, genetic disorder and taking analgesics for a long time.

Usually, kidney cancer doesn't have early symptoms. But there might be some of them which your health care provider may notice like blood in your urine, a lump in your abdomen, unexplained weight loss, pain in your side, loss of appetite.

Kidney Cancer Symptoms

There are varieties of kidney cancer but Renal carcinoma is found to be the most distinguished type of carcinoma found. The most commonly experienced kidney cancer symptoms or renal cell carcinoma are Chronic fatigue, Unexplained or rapid weight loss, Leg and ankle swelling, Hypertension (high blood pressure), Fever, Presence of blood in urine (seen either by the eye, or microscopically), Pain in side or lower back, Mass or lump in the abdomen, Low back pain that is not caused by an injury, Tiredness/fatigue, Fever that is unrelated to a cold, the flu or other infection, Swelling of ankles and legs, High blood pressure.

These symptoms can also be caused by noncancerous conditions, but only your doctor can tell you for sure. If there is any reason to suspect kidney cancer, the doctor will understand your medical history, conduct a physical exam and may perform imaging tests such as CT scan, MRI or ultrasound to produce a detailed picture of the inside of the body.

What causes kidney cancer?

The exact cause of renal cell carcinoma is not identified but there are certain risk factors which are known to be associated with it such as smoking, overuse of certain painkillers, long-term dialysis, and exposure to asbestos or cadmium, being overweight and eating a diet high in fat. Some genetic factors and diseases such as tuberous sclerosis increase one's risk. Renal cell carcinoma typically occurs in people over the age of 50 and is twice more likely to occur in men than in women.

Treatment for Kidney Cancer

People with kidney cancer have to take an active part in making decisions about their medical care. They should know each and everything about the disease and their treatment choices. However, shock and stress after the diagnosis can make it hard to think of everything or what they want to ask the doctor. It helps in making a list of questions before an appointment. Some also want to have a family member or friend with them when they talk to the doctor to take part in the discussion, to take notes, or just to listen.

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The patient must visit urologist directly for kidney cancer treatment in Delhi, or the patient may ask a urologist specialist to treat kidney cancer. Renal cancer isn’t to be taken lightly and if you find any of the symptoms discussed above, do discuss with the doctor immediately.