Basketball Legend Dwyane Wade Reveals Kidney Cancer Diagnosis
NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor on his kidney in December 2023. Wade recently discussed his diagnosis on an episode of his podcast “The Why with Dwyane Wade.”
Wade was 41 years old when he started having stomach issues and noticed changes in his urination. A full body scan revealed a possible tumor or cyst on his kidney. Since the area could not be biopsied, Wade decided to undergo surgery to remove it after hearing several medical opinions.
Doctors removed 40% of Wade’s right kidney, and tests ultimately showed the tumor was cancerous.
“Thank God that I did do the surgery,” he said on the podcast.
According to the American Cancer Society, kidney cancer is one of the ten most common cancers in adults. Renal cell carcinoma, especially the clear cell type, is the most common kind of kidney cancer, accounting for 75% of malignant tumors. Less common types of kidney cancer include papillary and chromophobe subtypes.
Most patients diagnosed with kidney cancer that hasn’t spread do not experience symptoms and the disease can go unnoticed until it is found during screenings for other health issues. However, if the tumors are larger or in the central part of the kidney, symptoms could include blood in the urine, flank or abdominal pain and changes in appetite.
Brandon Manley, MD
“Unfortunately, like many other tumors, we currently do not have national screening guidelines for patients, and we lack any reliable blood-based test to aid in early detection,” said Brandon Manley, MD, a surgeon in the Genitourinary Oncology Department at Moffitt Cancer Center, “For these reasons, the majority of patients are diagnosed incidentally, typically at the time of another medical or diagnostic workup.”
The average age of kidney cancer diagnoses is around 64, and there has not been an apparent increase in cases among younger patients. However, diagnoses for the general population have risen in recent decades due to increased CT and MRI imaging use.
Manley emphasizes that maintaining good kidney function is crucial, as it can reduce the risk of complications from both the diagnosis and treatment.
“Overall good health, which includes a balanced diet, regular exercise and close management of other medical issues like hypertension or diabetes, can improve patient results,” Manley said.
Moffitt is currently conducting an observational study, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, to understand kidney cancer better. Prior clinical studies show that African American patients are four times more likely to develop papillary renal cell carcinoma, but the biological reasoning for this increased risk remains unknown.
The research focuses on whether African American patients have unique gene activity changes compared to those of European ancestry. Those changes, known as epigenetic modifications, do not alter DNA but can be influenced by factors like ethnicity, diet, stress and environmental exposures, potentially affecting cancer risk.
Understanding these differences could improve surveillance, treatment and help address health disparities. Researchers are also developing a non-invasive blood test to detect recurrence early, with the long-term goal of using these markers for early diagnosis in high-risk groups.
“We hope that by understanding what drives tumor development and progression among African American patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma, we can tailor more specific management strategies for these patients with the goal to improve patient outcomes,” Manley said.
