Every year, there are over 65,000 new cases of kidney cancer reported in the country. Unfortunately, nobody knows when or how this cancer develops. Understanding the risks and the causes of kidney cancer will help take the requisite precautionary measures to ensure one’s vulnerability to the disease is reduced.

The cells in our kidneys have DNA in them. When this DNA mutates in one/both the kidneys, it can lead to kidney cancer. As a result of kidney cancer, cell growth and division is uncontrolled. To tell the truth, there’s no certainty on the exact reason for kidney cancer.

There are a few risk factors that are linked to kidney cancer. These include obesity and tobacco. Further, people who have a typical cancer syndrome in their genes or family do have a higher likelihood of developing kidney cancer.

Now, let’s understand causes of kidney cancer. These can be divided into two broad categories — general and lifestyle.

General

• Obesity: Those who are obese, especially because of consuming a fat-rich diet, are more prone to kidney cancer.
• Age: With the advancement of age, the risk of kidney cancer grows. As a general trend, this cancer is less prevalent in people below the age of 45. The median age of developing kidney cancer is 64.
• High BP: Those who have higher blood pressure tend to be more prone to develop this cancer.
• Gender: Usually, men face a higher risk as compared to women.
• Dialysis: Anyone who’s been receiving dialysis for a while has a higher susceptibility of developing kidney cancer.
• Genetics: Genes signify the family history of a person. The people who have a history of kidney cancer in their family are more prone to developing kidney cancer.

In addition to kidney cancer, people who have some other inherited conditions, too, have a higher susceptibility to developing the disease. These conditions include:

Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma: This happens to be a hereditary kidney cancer type, which often appears in both the kidneys.

Hereditary leiomyomatosis renal cell carcinoma: It is an uncommon gene mutation, which results in the formation of a few bumps on the surface of the skin. As a result of this cancer, a few women suffer from massive fibroids on the uterus.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease: This disease is caused because of a gene mutation, which might lead to the development of tumors in either one or both the kidneys.

Hereditary renal oncocytoma: It is a skin disorder that has an impact on the hair follicles that are associated with the tumors of the kidney or the lungs’ air pockets.

Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome: Lastly, this is a form of a tumor on the kidney, which doesn’t necessarily become malignant.

Lifestyle

• Smoking tobacco: Those who smoke are more vulnerable to kidney cancer.
• Occupational exposure: People who are exposed to cadmium or asbestos are at a higher risk of developing the disease.