Carcinoma of the renal pelvis or ureter

Alternative names:

cancer of the kidney or ureter; transitional cell cancer of the kidney or ureter

Symptoms:

• back pain, located where ribs and spine meet
• bloody urine
• burning or discomfort with urination
• dark, rust or brown colored urine
• fatigue
• flank pain
• need to urinate frequently at night
• unintentional weight loss
• urinary frequency or urgency
• urinary hesitancy
• urination, painful

Signs and tests:

Examination by touch (palpation) of the abdomen rarely reveals a mass or an enlarged kidney.

• Blood in the urine may appear.
• CBC may show anemia.

Carcinoma cells may appear on

• urine cytology (microscopic examination of cells) obtained during a cystoscopy
• urine cytology obtained from a urine sample

The tumor, or signs of urinary obstruction, may appear on:

• IVP
• kidney ultrasound
• abdominal CT scan
• MRI of abdomen
• renal scan

An X-ray, CT scan, or an MRI of other areas of the body may show metastasis of cancer from the kidneys.