By the Numbers - Kidney Cancer & Garth

Directly from the American Cancer Society Website:

Although many kidney cancers are found fairly early, while they are still confined to the kidney, others are found at a more advanced stage. There are a few reasons for this:

• These cancers can sometimes become quite large without causing any pain or other problems.
• Because the kidneys are deep inside the body, small kidney tumors cannot be seen or felt during a physical exam.
• There are no recommended screening tests for kidney cancer in people who are not at increased risk.

Let's narrow this down:

• About 1.6 million new cancer cases were detected in the USA in 2011.
• About 60,920 new cases of kidney cancer (37,120 in men and 23,800 in women) will occur.
• About 13,120 people (8,270 men and 4,850 women) will die from this disease.
• The average age of people when they are diagnosed is 64.
• Kidney cancer is very uncommon in people younger than age 45, and it most often occurs in people 55 and older.
• I am 42!
• Kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers in both men (#6) and women (#8).
• My tumor was 13cm at it's largest point.  That's over 5 inches! 
• My cancer was removed in December 2011. 
• The average growth rate for kidney cancer is less than 1cm per year. 
• Do the math!
• Kidney Cancer Risk Factors CLICK HERE

How in the heck did this happen to me??