Kidney Cancer Health Center

When you get a diagnosis of kidney cancer, it is natural to wonder what may have caused the disease. Doctors usually cannot explain why one person gets kidney cancer and another does not.

However, we do know that people with certain risk factors may be more likely than others to develop kidney cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of getting a disease.

Here are the most common risk factors for kidney cancer:

• smoking. People who smoke tobacco products have a higher risk than nonsmokers. The more cigarettes and the longer the smoking history, the greater the risks.
• obesity. Being obese increases the risk of kidney cancer.
• high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure may increase the risk of kidney cancer.
• family history of kidney cancer. People with a family member who has had kidney cancer have a slightly increased risk of the disease. Also, certain conditions that run in families can increase the risk of kidney cancer.
• Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome. VHL is a rare disease that runs in some families. It’s caused by changes in the VHL gene. They may also have cysts or tumors in the eyes, brain, or other parts of the body. Family members of those with VHL can have a test to check for a changed VHL gene.

Many people who develop kidney cancer have none of these risk factors, and many people who have known risk factors don’t develop the disease.