Points to remember: Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease

• Acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD) is a condition in which the kidneys develop many fluid-filled sacs called cysts.
• ACKD is most common in people who have been on dialysis for several years.
• ACKD differs from polycystic kidney disease (PKD). People with PKD often have a family history of PKD. PKD is associated with enlarged kidneys and cyst formation in other parts of the body. In ACKD, the kidneys are normal sized or smaller and cysts do not form in other parts of the body.
• Between 10 and 20 percent of people with ACKD develop kidney tumors, which in some cases are cancerous.
• ACKD often has no symptoms.
• If tumors are suspected, a person may need regular examinations to monitor the kidneys for cancer.
• In rare cases, surgery is used to stop cysts from bleeding and to remove tumors or suspected tumors.
• ACKD usually disappears after a person receives a transplanted kidney.

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