Mr. T. (51 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) proactively went for a thorough health screening, when he had not previously seen any abnormalities. Through examination, the doctors recorded magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scan images of the patient's abdomen showing a small left kidney tumor, 2cm in diameter.

Immediately after that, the patient was consulted by a urologist at Cho Ray Hospital. The treatment team proposed a treatment plan by surgically removing the entire tumor. Pathological results showed that the tumor was a sarcoma-like carcinoma (cancer), with safe surgical margins.

According to the treating doctor, although kidney cancer is rare, when it appears, it often develops rapidly, invades the surrounding area and easily metastasizes. Mr. T.'s case can be considered lucky, because it was discovered when the tumor was small and was treated thoroughly, contributing to eliminating the serious risks of kidney cancer.

Another case is Ms. N. (44 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) who also came for a routine health screening at Cho Ray Hospital, when she had no unusual symptoms before.

During the screening process, the patient's kidney function and urine test results were also normal. However, the ultrasound and CT scan of the abdomen showed a cyst measuring about 42x40mm in size in the left kidney, with polycyclic edges, thick cyst walls, and a septum inside.

Suspecting an abnormality, Ms. N. was consulted by a team of specialized doctors at Cho Ray Hospital, who suggested a treatment solution of surgical removal of the entire tumor. The results after surgery showed that this was a multi-walled cystic kidney tumor with malignant potential.

Immediately after that, Ms. N. was instructed by the team of doctors on treatment options to promptly improve her health.

Specialist Doctor 2 Cao Thi Hong, in charge of HECI Center, Cho Ray Hospital, said that according to Globocan statistics in 2022, the incidence of kidney cancer ranked 14th among all types of cancer, and the mortality rate ranked 16th.

In the US, kidney cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers in both men and women, accounting for 4-5% of all cancers.

Currently, there is no screening test recommended by experts for people at risk of kidney cancer. Usually, the disease is only discovered by chance during a health check, or is not detected until it is in an advanced stage.

According to nephrology experts, kidney cancer can develop without causing any noticeable symptoms. At the same time, due to the location of the kidney deep inside the body, detecting small kidney tumors becomes difficult during health check-ups.

Therefore, doctors recommend that one of the preventive methods to help detect kidney cancer in particular and cancer in general is to maintain regular health screening every 6-12 months. This not only brings high efficiency in treatment but also increases the survival rate for patients.