Causes And Risk Factors Linked To Kidney Cancer

Family History And Age

An individual's family history and age can cause them to be at a greater risk of developing malignancy in one or both of their kidneys. Some genetic conditions that affect the kidney structure and function such as von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, Birt-hogg-Dube syndrome, hereditary leiomyoma, and hereditary renal oncocytoma can cause a correlation in the development of kidney cancer in individuals immediately related to each other. Several other genetic variants that impact the kidneys in certain genes can be inherited from an affected individual's parents, including those on the GSTM1, GSTP1, GSTT1, NAT2, VDR, APO/C1, and AGT genes. These genetic variants may increase an individual's risk of developing kidney cancer. An individual's age can put them at an increased risk of developing kidney cancer independent of other kidney cancer risk factors. It is rare for individuals under forty-five years old to develop malignancy in their kidney. The age at diagnosis of kidney cancer averages out at sixty-four years old. Therefore, an individual's risk of developing kidney cancer increases proportionally with their age.