Kidney Cancer Causes and Risk Factors

Page Contents

The exact cause of kidney cancer is not known. But studies show that certain factors are linked to increased risk. Risk factors are things that raise your chances of getting a disease. For each person, a mix of genetic, biological and lifestyle factors play a part in kidney cancer risk.

Some of these risk factors are things you can’t change, such as having a family history of kidney cancer. Other factors relate to your lifestyle, so you may be able to change them. For example, smoking and misusing certain pain medications both raise kidney cancer risk.

Take Charge of Your Health

Talk to your primary care provider if you have symptoms that you think may be kidney cancer. UW Medicine Primary Care can help you get started. Learn about Fred Hutch's relationship with UW Medicine.

Genetic and Biological Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer can be diagnosed at any age, but the risk increases as a person gets older. Other risk factors that cannot be changed include:

  • Having a family history of renal cell cancer
  • Having certain genetic conditions, such as von Hippel-Lindau disease or hereditary papillary renal cancer

Lifestyle Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer

Using tobacco, especially smoking cigarettes, is a major risk factor for kidney cancer. Other lifestyle-related risk factors for kidney cancer include:

  • Misusing certain pain medicines, including over-the-counter pain medicines, for a long time
  • Having excess body weight
  • Having high blood pressure

Having one or more of these risk factors does not necessarily mean you will get kidney cancer. Many people with risk factors never develop kidney cancer, while others with no known risk factors do.

Kidney Cancer Causes and Risk Factors FAQ

Genetic testing may show if you have certain gene changes (mutations) that can be passed down in families that increase the risk of kidney cancer. Tests usually involve taking a small sample of blood.

If you have a family history of kidney cancer, ask your primary care provider (PCP) if it’s a good idea to get tested. They will take into account your personal health history and your family health history before making a recommendation. If tests are recommended, you may want to speak with a genetic counselor first. They can help explain what the tests do or don’t show and what the results might mean for you.

The Clinical Genetics and Genetic Counseling Service at Fred Hutch assesses cancer risk for people who are at high risk because of their personal or family history.