Osmosis video - Renal cysts and cancer: Clinical

Renal cysts refer to fluid-filled sacs that can develop in the kidneys. They can be simple, or complex. Simple renal cysts are typically asymptomatic and appear as enveloped round small masses filled with anechoic fluid on ultrasound. Simple cysts often need no treatment. Complex cysts on ultrasound appear as larger masses with irregular walls and septations. Complex cysts can cause symptoms like flank pain, and complications like infections, hemorrhage, and hypertension. So, all these complications might need to be managed accordingly.

On the other hand, there is renal cancer, specifically renal cell carcinoma (RCC). RCC originates in the renal cortex and can cause a triad of symptoms: flank pain, hematuria, and abdominal mass. An ultrasound and a CT scan can be done to diagnose and classify the tumors, and people with no metastasis are often treated with surgical tumor resection alone. People with metastases will need biopsies of the metastatic sites and may need chemotherapy in addition to surgery.