PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

What is a typical symptom seen in patients with renal cancer due to metastatic disease?

1. Joint pain

2. Flank mass

3. Chronic cough

4. Headaches

The correct answer is: Flank mass

In patients with renal cancer, the presence of a flank mass is a typical symptom associated with the disease. As renal cancer grows, it can lead to the formation of a palpable mass in the flank area, which is often the first notable sign that prompts medical evaluation. This mass is due to the tumor itself and can be identified during a physical examination. Other symptoms such as joint pain, chronic cough, and headaches can occur with metastatic disease but are less specific to renal cancer. Joint pain could arise from bone metastases, chronic cough may suggest lung involvement, and headaches could be related to CNS metastasis, but these symptoms are not typically the primary or early manifestations of renal cancer. The flank mass is more directly associated with the renal tumor's physical presence and is therefore a key indicator in the diagnostic process for renal cancer.