Transitional Cell Carcinoma: My Experience with Kidney Cancer

My dad learned last month that he has Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC). In layman's terms, this is a type of kidney cancer. The first thing I did upon learning about this was to find out as much as I could about the condition. Here are some things I learned:

Only 5-10% of all kidney cancers are Transitional Cell Carcinoma. Renal Cell Carcinoma is the more common type. Transitional Cell Carcinoma gets its name from "transitional cells", which line the kidneys and ureters (the tubes leading from the kidneys to the bladder). TCC starts in these cells, either in a kidney or a ureter. Treatment usually consists of removal of the diseased kidney and ureter. My dad's treatment was just this. Since humans have two kidneys but can live normally with only one, he should be able to function well with his remaining healthy kidney. Since there is the possibility of the cancer cells "seeding" the bladder, his doctors will continue to monitor his bladder closely for the next year to ensure that no cancer cells are found there. If they are, his doctor has said that he will remove those laproscopically. The incidence of subsequent bladder cancer after a diagnosis of TCC is 30-50%.

The surgery itself can be done laproscopically or the more old-fasioned, invasive way, depending on the individual's specific situation. My dad's surgeon used a combination of laproscopic and "regular" surgery to achieve the best possible result.

I learned in my research that radiation and chemotherapy can be used for this type cancer after surgery, if the cancer appears to have spread or if it appears to be more aggressive in nature. Fortunately, in my dad's case this was not deemed necessary.

90% of TCC cases are curable if found early enough. 4,000 Americans will be diagnosed with Transitional Cell Carcinoma this year. Risk factors include being overweight, smoking, and exposure to certain cancer-causing chemicals. Genetic predisposition can also be a factor. It is equally common in men and women.

One reason TCC is difficult to diagnose is that there are few symptoms that point to it specifically. Some symptoms to watch for would be blood in the urine, and back/side pain that does not go away. There are currently no blood tests that detect kidney cancer. There are various tests that can be performed to confirm a diagnosis, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a common diagnostic test for the condition.

If you or a loved one have any of these symptoms, please get them checked out. As mentioned earlier, this cancer can be cured with an early diagnosis. I'm glad my dad had his symptoms followed up on!