The lead singer of 3 Doors Down, Brad Arnold, has been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer. The band has since canceled its summer tour, and Arnold has come forward with a message for his fans.
He took to the band’s official Instagram on Wednesday to reveal that he has been diagnosed with clear cell renal cell carcinoma — a kidney cancer.
“I’ve got some not-so-good news for you today,” Arnold said, as transcribed by Today. “So I got sick a couple of weeks ago, and then I went to the hospital and got checked out and had actually got the diagnosis that I had clear cell renal (cell) carcinoma that had metastasized into my lung. And it’s Stage 4, and that’s not real good.
“But you know what? We serve a mighty God, and he can overcome anything. So I have no fear. I really, sincerely am not scared of it at all. But it is gonna force us to cancel our tour this summer, and we’re sorry for that.”
There are four stages of cancer, each describing how much cancer and where that cancer exists in a person’s body. In general, a higher stage cancer will be more advanced and have a worse prognosis. Arnold said his cancer — which is at the highest stage — has metastasized, meaning it has spread throughout his body.
“I’d love for you to lift me up in prayer every chance you get,” he continued.
Here’s some important information about kidney cancer and when it’s best to get checked.
What is clear cell renal cell carcinoma?
According to the National Cancer Institute, clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the most common form of kidney cancer. The five-year survival rate for kidney cancer that has spread throughout the body — particularly to the lungs, brain or bones — is 18%.
According to Mayo Clinic, it’s not currently clear what causes it.
“Kidney cancer happens when cells in the kidney develop changes in their DNA,” the clinic reported. “A cell’s DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA gives instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give different instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to make many more cells quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells.
“The cancer cells form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. In time, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it’s called metastatic cancer.”
Signs and symptoms of kidney cancer
Patients suffering from kidney cancer often experience pain or tiredness. Though the disease can be completely symptomless at first, common symptoms include blood in urine, weight loss, fever, a lump on the side of the body (near the kidney area), pain near the flanks, bone pain, high blood pressure, anemia and high calcium.
Finding a lump doesn’t necessarily mean cancer, but it still needs to be checked out by a medical professional.
“Some kidney tumors are benign (noncancerous),” the Cleveland Clinic reported. “These tumors are generally smaller than cancerous tumors and don’t spread to other parts of your body. Surgical removal is the most common treatment for noncancerous kidney tumors.
“Whether your kidney tumor is cancerous or noncancerous, you should move forward with treatment as soon as possible to avoid complications.”
Anyone experiencing symptoms of kidney cancer should consult their health care provider right away.
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