Serious Warning Signs Of Kidney Cancer

Leg And Ankle Swelling

Leg and ankle swelling is also referred to as edema in the medical community. Swelling in the lower extremities of the body occurs when extra fluid is forced through the veins from the bloodstream. Without this mechanism in place, an individual's extremely high blood pressure would cause the veins to become severely damaged and ruptured. Fluids forced from the veins accumulates in the neighboring tissues and is pulled toward the lower extremities by the force of gravity. Fluid balance in the body is regulated by the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, and kidneys. The kidneys are responsible for drawing excess fluid from the blood for excretion through the urine when certain hormones are released by the aforementioned glands. The kidneys do this by drawing sodium from the blood, as fluids follow levels of sodium and vice versa. The kidneys of a kidney cancer patient may be working too poorly to remove excess fluid from the blood, causing edema in their legs and ankles.

Read more about the warning signs linked to kidney cancer now.