Kidney Cancer: What you need to know.


Urologists are notorious for requesting a urine specimen at the time of an office visit and patients often times ask, “Why is this necessary?” Well….

  • The presence of blood can indicate kidney, bladder and prostate cancer.
  • Blood in the urine (hematuria) can indicate kidney stones. Not all stones hurt. If the stone is in the kidney but not blocking the flow of urine they don’t hurt, but can irritate the lining of the kidney enough to put blood in the urine.
  • Protein in the urine can indicate poor kidney function.
  • Nitrates can indicate an infection
  • Leukocytes can indicate an infection
  • Glucose in the urine indicates diabetes
  • There is even an evaluation that suggest liver or gallbadder dysfunction.
  • Want to know if you are hydrated….the specific gravity is indicated on the test strip.

So a urine tells you a lot particularly if it is completely negative. It is a great starting point of your urological evaluation and why one of the most common evaluations a urologist is asked to do in consultation.

How does the urine help with the diagnosis of kidney cancer?

From Medical News Today

Kidney cancer: What you need to know. Click here.