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What are the symptoms of kidney cancer?

Kidney cancers often do not cause symptoms in the early stages of the disease, and sometimes cause very few symptoms, even if they have grown extensively or spread elsewhere. 

The most common symptoms of kidney cancer are: 

  • blood in the urine, or passing urine frequently or during the night 
  • change in urine colour – dark, rusty or brown [3]  
  • low back pain on one side that is not due to an injury 
  • a lump in the abdomen, side or lower back 
  • appetite loss 
  • rapid, unexplained weight loss 
  • anaemia (low haemoglobin, which can make you feel tired and weak.) 
  • fatigue 
  • fever not caused by a cold or flu. 

Many conditions can cause these symptoms, not just kidney cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor. Blood in the urine should never be ignored. 

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