Kidney cancer occurs when cells in one or both kidneys become cancerous and form a tumor. While we don’t always know exactly what causes this to happen nor can we prevent kidney cancer entirely, there are some steps we can take to reduce your risk of developing it.
Knowing the risk factors for kidney cancer and learning how to recognize early symptoms of the disease can help you have a head start on decreasing your chances of kidney cancer or at least allow you to catch it early, so you have better treatment options and outcomes.
Ways to prevent kidney cancer
To lower your chances of developing kidney cancer, you should:
- Avoid tobacco products – Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of kidney cancer and other cancers. If you smoke or use tobacco, you should quit to lower these chances. Smoking cessation programs are available at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, so ask your doctor if you need help quitting tobacco.
- Maintain a healthy weight, choose healthy foods and exercise – If you’re overweight or obese, you have a higher chance of developing kidney cancer. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help you maintain your weight and ward off many diseases.
- Reduce exposure to chemicals – For example, repeated and prolonged exposure to trichloroethylene, a chemical used in some metal fabrication work, can lead to an increased risk of renal cell cancer.
- Have your kidney function tested – There are simple tests (a blood test and a urine test) your doctor can perform in the office to provide insight into how your kidneys are functioning. If your kidneys are damaged or you’re diagnosed with kidney disease, you may have an increased risk of kidney cancer.
- Control high blood pressure – Also called hypertension, high blood pressure has been linked to an increased risk of kidney cancer. Reasons for this are still being studied.
- Control blood sugar for those with diabetes – Diabetes can have a significant influence on someone developing kidney cancer or not. When your blood sugar is elevated, which is the main symptom of diabetes, it can damage the kidneys, leading to disease.
- Know your risk factors – This includes being aware of your family history associated with kidney cancer as well as certain genetic conditions known to increase your chances of developing kidney cancer.
Genetic conditions that can lead to kidney cancer
Hereditary kidney cancer is rare; however, it’s important if you do have a genetic condition or known gene mutation linked to kidney cancer that you be proactive in preventative measures and screenings to ensure you catch the cancer early if you do develop kidney cancer.
Conditions associated with kidney cancer include:
- Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome: Up to 60% of people with this syndrome will develop clear cell kidney cancer. The disease is also associated with other types of tumors.
- Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome: A rare hereditary disorder, this disease causes kidney lesions, including kidney cancer, among other symptoms.
- Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma: People with this rare genetic condition have a very high risk of developing renal cell carcinoma but not an increased risk of developing other cancers.
- Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer: This very rare genetic disorder is associated with a unique type of kidney cancer that might lead you and your doctor to choose different treatment methods. Besides the increased cancer risk, skin lesions called leiomyomas and uterine fibroids can be common with this condition.
Whether you should be tested for these conditions will depend on a variety of factors, including whether you’ve had multiple family members diagnosed with kidney cancer or whether a relative has been diagnosed at a young age or with a type of kidney cancer that is typically inherited. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your familial history with kidney cancer.
More Related Resources
Kidney Cancer Screening and Diagnosis
Kidney Cancer Symptoms and Causes
Kidney Cancer Treatment