Nile Rodgers has revealed he recently underwent surgery to remove a cancerous growth on his kidney but now his “prognosis is 100% recovery”.
Writing on his blog, the CHIC singer said doctors discovered the growth while he was in hospital receiving treatment for E.coli.
The 65-year-old, who was previously successfully treated for prostate cancer, said: “Unlike my reaction to my first Big-C diagnosis seven years ago, I was more relaxed, analytic and calm. I was surrounded by professionalism and empathy which gave me a surprising sense of inner peace.
“After the last seven years of amazing life, I would have never believed that my body would be invaded by another cancer. Cancer really? I’m done. 2018 here I come.”
Like all cancers, the earlier kidney cancer is detected, the better chance there is of it being successfully treated. So in light of Nile’s news, here are the symptoms you need to know about, plus what happens next.
What causes kidney cancer and who is at risk?
“Kidney cancer starts in the kidneys - part of the body’s urinary system which filters waste products out of the blood and makes urine,” Celene Doherty, senior cancer information nurse at Cancer Research UK tells HuffPost UK.
According to the charity, kidney cancer is diagnosed more often in men than women and around 50% of kidney cancers are diagnosed in people aged 70 and over. The illness is rare in people under 50.
Smoking is also known to increase your risk of being diagnosed with kidney cancer.
What are the signs and symptoms of kidney cancer?
According to the NHS, there may be no obvious symptom of kidney cancer, meaning it is often detected when people are having tests for other illnesses, such as Nile Rogers’ was.
However, the most common symptom of kidney cancer is blood in your urine, which you may detect by noticing your urine is darker than usual.
Other symptoms can include:
:: A persistent pain in your lower back or side, just below your ribs
:: A lump or swelling in your side
:: Extreme tiredness
:: Loss of appetite and weight loss
:: Persistent high blood pressure
:: A high temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above
:: Night sweats
:: In men, swelling of the veins in the testicles
:: Swollen glands in your neck
:: Bone pain
:: Coughing up blood
How is kidney cancer diagnosed and treated?
If you’re experiencing symptoms of kidney cancer listed above, visit your GP who will be able to refer you for testing.
Tests may involve blood and urine tests plus an ultrasound scan and biopsy to diagnose the disease.
According to Doherty, surgery is the main treatment for kidney cancer, but some small cancers may not need treatment straightaway.
“When the tumour is less than 3cm, doctors may wait and watch to see whether the cancer grows so patients can avoid unnecessary treatments,” she explains.
Biological therapy is the main treatment prescribed once the cancer has advanced and spread to another part of the body.
“These drugs can often stop or slow growth for months or sometimes years,” Doherty adds.
“Patients might also have surgery to remove the kidney – and sometimes the secondary cancer - if they are well enough to recover from the operation.
“Other possible treatments include: freezing therapy (cryotherapy); radio wave treatment (RFA); radiotherapy; blocking the blood supply to the cancer (arterial embolisation); or hormone therapy.”
For more advice about kidney cancer, speak to your GP.