Kidney Health
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs in your abdomen, with one kidney on each side of your spine. Kidneys are essential to having a healthy body, and their primary function is to filter waste products, excess water, and other impurities out of the blood. These toxins are stored in the bladder and then removed during urination.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are a common kidney problem. They occur when minerals and other substances in the blood crystallize in the kidneys, forming solid masses (stones). Kidney stones come out of the body during urination, however, passing them can be extremely painful.
GenPath can perform tests to assess the health of your kidneys. We offer kidney stone analysis, which is used to determine the chemical composition of passed kidney stones to assist you and your doctor with forming a prevention plan for the future. There is also the option of ordering our 24-hour stone risk profile that is useful in assessing the risk of kidney stone formation.
Kidney (Renal) Cancer
Kidney cancer rarely causes signs or symptoms in its early stages, and currently there are no routine tests used to screen for kidney cancer in the absence of symptoms. It is estimated that almost 3-5% of renal cancer cases are hereditary.1
In the later stages, kidney cancer signs and symptoms may include:
- Blood in your urine, which may appear pink or red in color
- Pain in your back or side that doesn’t go away
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue (feeling tired or exhausted)
- Intermittent fever
GenPath offers a Renal Cancer Panel, which may be appropriate if your personal and/or your family’s history suggests that there is a predisposition to kidney cancer. Consult your healthcare provider to find out what testing is most appropriate for you.
References
- National Kidney Foundation. Hereditary Kidney Cancer Syndromes. https://www.ackdjournal.org/article/S1548-5595(13)00144-4/fulltext. Accessed May 22, 2019.