March is the month for colorectal cancer awareness, spring break, and Saint Patty’s day, but did you know it is also kidney cancer awareness month? How much do YOU know about kidney cancer? Sometimes, cancers that are not as common as others don’t get quite the same media attention as others, but it doesn’t mean they are less important. You know how every cancer has a “color” (i.e., breast is pink, colorectal is blue)? Kidney cancer’s “color” is orange. Take a few minutes in a month filled with blue and green to find out more about the “orange ribbon cancer” which impacts so many.
According to the Kidney Cancer Foundation, one in three American adults is at risk for kidney disease. Major risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure and being age 60 or older. Educate yourself on the signs and symptoms and share with others. It’s important to “know your numbers” to see if you are at risk. Visit the Kidney Cancer Foundation’s website to learn more about these important tests.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), there were 63,990 new cases of kidney cancer in 2017, representing 3.8% of all cancer cases. The NCI also reports that the lifetime risk of developing kidney cancer is approximately 1.6 percent of men and women who will be diagnosed with kidney and renal pelvis cancer at some point during their lifetime, based on 2012-2014 data. In 2014, there were an estimated 483,225 people living with kidney and renal pelvis cancer in the United States. So while kidney cancer is not as common as some of the other cancers, it does affect many people. It’s important to be informed and know what to look out for and to share this information with others. Knowledge is indeed power!
Other helpful resources include the Kidney Cancer Association, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Polycystic Kidney Foundation, and The American Association of Kidney Patients.
“Orange” you glad you learned more? We think so!
References:
Kidney Cancer Foundation. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/know-your-kidney-numbers-two-simple-tests. Accessed 3/9/2018.
SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/kidrp.html. Accessed 3/9/2018.
