‘I’m a nurse - don’t ignore these crucial cancer warning signs most people overlook’

Nearly 14,000 Brits are given the news that they have kidney cancer every year. While it can have a good prognosis if caught in its early stages, one nurse is warning that because people so often dismiss the early symptoms this is rarely the case.

Hazel Jackson, healthcare professional nurse at Kidney Cancer UK, noted it can be particularly difficult to explain what the symptoms might feel like as it differs between each individual. The symptoms can also be subtle and easy to dismiss as unconnected and less serious conditions.

Some of the top key symptoms the nurse pinpointed are experiencing persistent pain in the lower back or even on one side of the back and blood in the urine. This last symptom can appear in a variety of shades from a light pink to red or even a “cola-like colour”.

READ MORE: 'I'm a sleep expert - this trick helps you fall asleep instantly when you wake at night'

READ MORE: Cancer symptom warning: The deadly disease is linked to common bodily sensation

Unexplained weight loss, continuous fatigue and persistent night sweats are also common kidney cancer symptoms. These are also warning signs shared across multiple types of cancer and other potentially serious health conditions.

Nurse Hazel urged people to learn these “crucial” signs as she highlighted the incredibly worrying reality of kidney cancer: “In many cases, kidney cancer is only discovered through tests for unrelated conditions or a visit to A&E. It is important to note you may not experience all the key symptoms and may in fact only have 1 or 2.

“While these signs can be signs of other conditions, it's important to link them together and contact your GP promptly if you do experience them. Early detection can make a significant difference in the treatment and outcome of any cancer diagnosis.”

Kidney Cancer UK highlighted that some people have higher risk factors for kidney cancer than others and would need to keep a closer watch on these symptoms. This includes people who are older in age particularly men who are twice as likely to develop kidney cancer than women.

Obesity, smoking and a high consumption in red and processed meats have proven to increase your risk of kidney cancer, while eating a lot of fruits, vegetables and fibre could offer some protection against the disease. Some seemingly unrelated health issues could also increase your risk of kidney cancer such as having, either yourself or in your family history, Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, hereditary clear cell and papillary renal cell cancer.