Kidney Cancer Awareness Day

Monday 1 February 2016 is Kidney Cancer Awareness Day across the United Kingdom. Despite being the eighth most common cancer in the UK: the seventh most common in men and the tenth in women, kidney cancer remains a relatively unheard of. Each year, in the UK about 10,000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer and it accounts for three per cent of all new diagnoses. Forty-two per cent of kidney cancer cases are linked to major lifestyle factors; including smoking and obesity. On Kidney Cancer Awareness Day, the Fund, along with sister charities Kidney Cancer UK and Kidney Cancer Scotland will publish the findings of its 2015 Kidney Cancer Patient Survey with the objective of increasing the nation’s awareness and improving conditions for those with kidney cancer. Drawing on data from the survey we call for the government to: • improve funding into research of a simple early diagnosis test of kidney cancer • explore the viability of automatic screening for kidney cancer from 45 years of age • give patients access to more life-saving and life-extending drugs across the UK; currently there is only one • promote awareness that kidney cancer is a silent killer and to look for the 10 signs of kidney cancer: 1. Blood in the urine 2. Persistent low back pain 3. Pain in the side, between the ribs and hipbone 4. A lump or mass in the area of the kidneys 5. Persistent high temperature 6. Night sweats 7. High blood pressure (hypertension) 8. Tiredness 9. Weight loss 10. Loss of appetite for morr information visit www.jameswhalefund.org