Further tests for kidney cancer

If your tests show you have kidney cancer, you may have to have further tests to see if the cancer has spread. And to decide on the best treatment.

You may be asked to have a CT scan (or CAT scan as it is sometimes called). This stands for Computerised (Axial) Tomography. This is a scan that takes pictures from all around your body and uses a computer to put them together. The CT scan is done to check the size and extent of the cancer in your kidney. And also to rule out cancer spread to the rest of your abdomen, other kidney or lungs. There is more about having a CT scan in the cancer tests section of CancerHelp UK.

MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. This type of scan uses magnetism to build up a picture of the inside of the body instead of X-rays. An MRI scan can be done to check the size and extent of the cancer in the kidney. And also to check for cancer spread. There is more about having an MRI scan in the cancer tests section of CancerHelp UK.

Your doctor might ask you to have a bone scan to rule out cancer spread to the bones. This is not all that common with kidney cancer, but it can happen. The scan takes quite a while because you have to have an injection and then wait a couple of hours. There is information about having a bone scan in the cancer tests section of CancerHelp UK.

Your doctor may ask you to have a chest X-ray to check your general health and to make sure you are fit enough to have particular treatments or surgery. It will also see whether any cancer cells have spread to the lungs.

Angiography and venography mean looking at blood vessels and blood flow. This is very important for planning surgery. Your surgeon may need to find out how close your tumour is to a major blood vessel in the kidney, for example. An angiogram or venogram will outline the blood vessels in and around the kidneys. It will show up any vessels that are being pushed out of place by a tumour. It can also show if there are any abnormal vessels growing on or near the tumour or if the kidney cancer has grown through the walls of any blood vessels.

These tests can be done by putting a tube into the blood vessel in your groin and running a fine tube (a catheter) up into the part of the body the doctor wants to look at. The doctor then injects a dye into the tube that shows up the blood vessels on an X-ray. You have this examination in the X-ray department. You change into a hospital gown and lie down on an X-ray table to have it done. You may need a groin shave where the tube (catheter) will go in. After the X-rays have all been taken, the tube can come out and a nurse will press on the wound site until there is no sign of bleeding.

You might still have an angiogram this way. But these days, it is more common to use a CT scanner or an MRI scanner to look at blood vessels. You don't have to have any tubes put in for these tests, although you might have an injection of 'contrast medium' into a vein. This is just a type of dye that helps the blood vessels to show up more clearly on the scan. Having CT angiography or MR angiography is much the same as having a regular CT or MRI scan.

You will be asked to come back to the hospital when your test results have come through. This is bound to take a little time, even if only a few days. You may feel very anxious during this time.

While you are waiting for results it may help to talk to a close friend or relative about how you are feeling. Or you may want to contact a cancer support group to talk to someone who has been through a similar experience.

Look on the cancer organisations page to find organisations that can put you in touch with local cancer support groups.