A study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research concludes that elevated levels of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), a transmembrane protein in blood plasma, can predict renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence up to five years before a diagnosis.
An early warning of kidney cancer could make the difference between life and death. When diagnosed early, eight out of 10 people will survive for five years or more. But if the disease is diagnosed late, only one out of 10 survive, according to the charity Cancer Research UK.