Causes And Risk Factors Linked To Kidney Cancer

The kidneys are two organs that sit on both sides of the spine in the middle of the back. These organs are responsible for filtering nearly fifty gallons of blood per day to produce one to two quarts of urine consisting of extra fluid and wastes. The kidneys also mediate blood pressure, produce red blood cells, make vitamin D, and manage acidity in the body. Kidney malignancy can cause one or more of these functions to become compromised, and when malignancy begins in one of the kidneys, it is referred to as kidney cancer. Primary kidney cancer starts in one of the cells of the kidney tissues, and secondary kidney cancer occurs when malignancy metastasizes from another location in the body. Early kidney cancer symptoms include fatigue, fever, weight loss, kidney pain, and appetite loss. Advanced stages manifest with hematuria, lower extremity swelling, and a lump in the side.

Several factors can increase the risk of developing kidney cancer. Learn about them now.

Being Overweight Or Obese

Being overweight or obese can increase an individual's risk of developing cancer in their kidneys, as it can cause an individual to develop other kidney cancer risk factors including high blood pressure and diabetes. However, obesity is also proven to be an independent risk factor for kidney cancer. Obesity raises the risk of developing a type of kidney cancer called renal cell carcinoma. Obesity causes increased blood volume in comparison to an individual who is not obese. The kidneys are responsible for filtering the blood to extract waste substances and excess fluids so they can be excreted in the form of urine. The kidneys have to work harder to filter a higher than normal blood volume. Obesity also causes numerous hormonal fluctuations known to have an association with the carcinogenesis of kidney tissues. White blood cells called cytokines and steroid hormones can be released from adipose tissues in the body of an obese individual. High levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 are also common in obese individuals, compounding the effects of the aforementioned mechanisms. This combination can halt proper cell apoptosis and stimulate tumor cell growth in the kidney tissues.

Learn more about the risk factors and causes linked to kidney cancer now.

Long-Term Use Of Pain Medication

Some cases of kidney cancer in high-risk individuals are attributed to their long-term use of pain medication. The main drug class implicated in this risk increase is called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This class includes medications such as naproxen, acetaminophen, phenacetin, and ibuprofen. Studies have only shown a significant risk increase in kidney cancer development for individuals who take these medications for ten years or longer. While the overall risk for kidney cancer is greater in men, the increased risk associated with long term pain medication use does not favor one gender over the other. While the exact mechanism of this carcinogenesis process is not clear, it is known to be associated with the metabolites produced by the substances in these medications when they are broken down in an individual's body. Once they have built up in the body over an extended duration, these metabolites act as inducers of inflammation in the kidney tissues, which causes cellular damage and can result in the development of malignancy. Additionally, some of these metabolites are known to be carcinogens themselves independent of the inflammatory response in the body.

Reveal more risk factors and causes associated with kidney cancer now.