Renal cancer or kidney cancer is a serious condition that can warrant long-term hospitalization. The treatment for renal cancer varies depending on the stage of the carcinoma. This condition usually occurs when cancer cells develop in the kidney, especially in one of the various tubules. While renal cancer is serious enough as it is, those with a compromised immune system are at higher risk of contracting it than others. Here are the various stages of renal cancer and their survival rates.

Stages of renal cancer
Before determining the current stage of renal cancer, one’s physician may want to examine them to check whether it has spread to other organs. Depending on its current development, renal cancer or kidney cancer is divided into several stages:

• Stage 1 : The tumor is either 7cms or smaller and is primarily located in the kidney. Furthermore, it has not spread to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body. At this stage, the cancer cells may not have metastasized, which is why cancer patients in stage one have the highest survival chances of 5 years and more, depending on their course of treatment.
• Stage 2 : The tumor is larger than 7cms and chances are that it may not be spreading to the lymph nodes. This stage is generally considered to be more serious than the previous one, and some of the symptoms, including fatigue, may take a toll on the body. In both stages 1 and 2, the cancerous growth can be removed by surgery, and the chances of survival for a stage 2 renal cancer patient is the same, that is, a 5-year period with a survival rate of 74%.
• Stage 3 : At this stage, the tumor has developed further and has started affecting the nearby tissue. It may not have yet spread to the lymph nodes, and it can also be removed with the help of surgery, especially if the tumor has not reached the lymph nodes. It is important to note that in stage 3, the cancer cells may be more aggressive but so is the treatment. At this stage, renal cancer patients have a survival rate of 53%.
• Stage 4 : This is considered to be one of the most dangerous stages as far as renal cancer goes. The tumor may have grown beyond the kidneys and may have started developing outside of the same. It may also start impacting other tissues and the lymph nodes. The course of treatment is aggressive, and the survival rate for patients drops to a mere 8%.

These are considered to be the various stages of renal cancer. It needs to be pointed out that renal cancer is a serious health condition and one that warrants regular meetings and checkups with your physician. They may prescribe a course of treatment depending on the current stage, and the proper care and treatment can help the patient lead a normal life again.