What is a lipoma on the kidney?
Lipoma – Lipomas are rare renal tumors originating in the fat cells within the renal capsule or surrounding tissue. Lipomas typically occur in middle-aged women.
What causes fatty lump in kidney?
Renal angiomyolipoma is caused by a genetic mutation to the TSC1 or TSC2 gene (tumor suppressor genes). They are responsible for producing tuberin, a protein that helps control cells’ growth and size. When the TSC genes mutate or change, it affects the production of tuberin, and cells may grow out of control.
How common are renal angiomyolipomas?
Angiomyolipomas (AMLs) are the most frequent benign renal tumour, with a prevalence varying between 0.2% and 0.6% and a strong female predilection. They occur as sporadic, isolated entities in 80% of cases.
How do you treat angiomyolipoma kidney?
Angiomyolipoma can be treated by the drug everolimus (Afinitor) that works by blocking the human target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein to affect many processes involved in cell growth. Researchers suggest that even if asymptomatic, angiomyolipoma that grows to 3 cm or more in diameter should be treated.
What percentage of kidney masses are cancerous?
About 20-30% of “suspicious” kidney tumors when removed prove to be benign! These benign growths include cysts, oncocytomas, angiomyolipomas, and mixed epithelial stromal tumors. Thus, 70-80% of these “small” kidney tumors are cancers and fortunately the majority are “well behaved” (low grade) cancers.
Can angiomyolipoma cause back pain?
Most people with benign Angiomyolipomas do not show signs or have symptoms. However, some people can have symptoms If the dilated blood vessels in an Angiomyolipoma rupture, this is called a retroperitoneal hemorrhage. This can cause pain in the back, nausea and vomiting.
When should angiomyolipoma be removed?
In general, the prognosis of angiomyolipoma is good as long as the tumors don’t have dilated blood vessels or grow rapidly. However, the prognosis decreases if the tumor becomes very large or compromises the kidney’s function so that it may need to be removed or the patient may require dialysis.
Can lipoma be diagnosed with ultrasound?
Ultrasound has been used in the diagnosis of soft-tissue lesions for well over a decade. Lipomas are the most common, benign, soft-tissue tumor and comprise adipose tissue. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing lipomas on ultrasound vary greatly in the literature.
Can be dangerous lipoma of the kidney?
They are benign, which means they are not cancerous and are not painful. So, it would be safe to say that lipomas are not dangerous. However, if you experience any discomfort due to a lipoma, then you should seek medical attention for its removal.
Should I Have my lipoma removed?
Shower or wash with an antibacterial soap before the procedure.
Can ultrasound differentiate between lipoma and liposarcoma?
Can ultrasound differentiate between lipoma and liposarcoma? Ultrasonography is helpful in confirming the presence of a mass. Liposarcomas are usually hyperechoic. A well-differentiated, peripheral liposarcoma is usually hyperechoic and may be indistinguishable from a lipoma; however, Doppler ultrasonography studies reveal that a liposarcoma is