No one knows the exact cause of kidney cancer, but certain factors increase a person’s risk of developing this disease. Many of these risk factors are common to cancer in general:

• Smoking doubles the risk of getting kidney cancer. The longer a person smokes, the higher the risk, and that risk decreases for those who quit smoking.

• People with a family history of renal cell cancer have an increased risk for this disease.

• Risk of kidney cancer increases with age, especially after age 40. Doctors diagnose this condition most often in individuals age 50 to 70.

• Gender is also a factor. Kidney cancer strikes almost twice as many men as women.

• Obesity appears to increase both the risk of developing kidney cancer and the risk of dying from it.

• Exposures to certain chemicals and substances, including petroleum, asbestos, lead, cadmium, and tricloroethylene, are linked to kidney cancer. Often, but not always, these exposures are more likely to occur at significant levels in the workplace.

• People who have been on dialysis for a long time are at increased risk for kidney cancer.

• Tuberous sclerosis, a disease causing cysts in the kidneys, liver and pancreas, increases risk of renal cell cancer.

• Use of certain drugs (including heavy, long-term use of Phenacetin, a painkiller no longer available in the U.S.) can increase risk of kidney disease.

• Specific genetic factors, including the inherited condition von Hippel’s disease, are known to be linked to a small percentage of kidney cancers.

Persons who think they may be at risk for kidney cancer based on the above factors should discuss this concern with their doctor, to plan an appropriate schedule for checkups.