Dwyane Wade’s battle with cancer began after a routine medical checkup revealed an unexpected and life-changing diagnosis. This experience forced him to confront his own mortality and ultimately led to the removal of 40% of his kidney.

In the January 30 episode of his podcast, “The Why With Dwyane Wade,” the 43-year-old former NBA star talked about his health journey, revealing that what started as an effort to address minor health issues—like stomach discomfort and a weak urine stream—eventually led doctors to find a tumor on his right kidney.

Wade, who is married to actress Gabrielle Union, acknowledged that he hadn’t made regular medical checkups a priority since retiring from the NBA in 2019. However, after his father’s surgery, he decided it was time for a thorough medical examination for himself. (Wade did not share details about his father’s surgery or the reasons for it.)

Initially, Wade didn’t expect any serious issues—he was just looking for answers to a few health questions.

“Why is my urine coming out slowly? Why is my stream not powerful? Why does it feel a bit weak?” Wade recalled.

Thinking about his father’s health history, Wade opted for a full-body scan, which led to the surprising discovery of a tumor on his kidney.

Wade mentioned, “I didn’t specifically look for treatment for my kidneys. But during a full-body scan, something was found.”

The tumor couldn’t be biopsied, so surgery was the only way to determine if it was cancerous. As a result, on December 18, 2023, Wade had a procedure to remove 40% of his kidney, a choice that ended up saving his life.

“I’m so grateful I chose to have the surgery,” Wade said. “It turned out that the tumor was indeed cancerous.”

Kidney cancer

Common risk factors for kidney cancer include:

• Aging
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High blood pressure

Inherited conditions like von Hippel-Lindau disease, Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma, and familial renal cancer significantly increase the risk of kidney cancer. Additionally, having a family history of kidney cancer raises the chances of developing the disease.

The Mayo Clinic states that while there is no foolproof way to prevent kidney cancer, individuals can reduce their risk by cutting down on tobacco use, eating more fruits and vegetables, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, and controlling high blood pressure.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 75 percent of kidney tumors are malignant. These tumors mainly affect people aged 65 and older, those assigned male at birth, and individuals who are Black, Native American, Alaska Native, or First Nation. Each year, around 76,000 people are diagnosed with a kidney tumor.

Kidney cancer symptoms

Kidney cancer doesn’t typically cause symptoms at the start, per the Mayo Clinic. But when they do begin symptoms can include:

• Blood in the urine
• Loss of appetite
• Persistent pain in the side or back
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss

How is Dwyane Wade doing now?

For Wade, the road to recovery was not just a physical challenge; it also exposed him to a level of vulnerability he had never faced before.

“I think it was the first time my family—my father and my kids—saw me at my weakest,” Wade, a father of five, admitted. “In that moment, I felt more exposed than I ever have in my life.”

“There’s one thing a man should always steer clear of: letting his family see him weak,” he continued.

The Cleveland Clinic states that kidney tumors can be treated through surgery or various therapies. Early detection is essential for effective treatment and recovery from kidney cancer.