Can High Blood Pressure Increase the Risk of Kidney Cancer?

World Kidney Cancer Day 2022: High Blood Pressure May Increase Risk of Kidney Cancer

The number of kidney cancers is increasing worldwide. The incidence of kidney cancer (also called renal cell carcinoma) has tripled. The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) varies widely from region to region, with the highest incidence in the Czech Republic and North America. Worldwide, there are more than 400,000 new cases of RCC and more than 170,000 deaths from kidney cancer each year.

Kidney cancer is about twice as common in men as it is in women and occurs primarily between the ages of 60 and 80 years. Although this is a fatal disease, early detection has doubled the 5-year survival rate for kidney cancer patients over the past 60 years, from 34% in 1954 to 75% in 2015. This improvement in survival is primarily due to early detection. These tumors of small size (due to increased imaging practice) and curative surgical treatment.

High blood pressure, overweight, and smoking are established factors that increase the risk of kidney cancer in a dose-dependent manner. Decreased diabetes mellitus, renal failure, acquired renal cystic disease, viral hepatitis, birth history, vitamin D levels, and physical activity are suspected to be associated with an increased risk of renal cancer.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure predisposes to kidney cancer. According to the World Health Organization, hypertension affects up to 40% of adults worldwide, and prevalence is estimated to be continuously increasing. High blood pressure is often associated with other factors, such as smoking and obesity, which are themselves risk factors for kidney cancer.

The plausible biological mechanism underlying the link between hypertension and kidney cancer remains unclear. However, high blood pressure can cause a condition of chronic inflammation. This means that the body is always in a state of war and lacks oxygen at the tissue level. This activates the cell’s hypoxia response pathway and promotes the expression of hypoxia-inducible factors in the kidney. The abnormal accumulation of this hypoxia-inducing factor causes dysregulation of cell proliferation and the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). In addition, the inflammatory condition associated with hypertension contributes to renal carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Cancer-related inflammation induces oncogene instability for inflammatory mediators.

Hypertension can also be associated with dysfunction of the innermost delicate inner layer of blood vessels called the endothelium, which leads to increased formation of reactive oxygen species in people with hypertension. Reactive oxygen species can promote tumor development and progression through a variety of biological processes.

How is Kidney Cancer Diagnosed?

For undiagnosed patients, symptoms and signs are generally associated with infiltration of adjacent structures or distant metastases.

The majority of kidney cancers are diagnosed by routine ultrasonography of the abdomen for another reason. The typical triplet of kidney cancer is flank pain, hematuria, and a palpable abdominal mass, which occurs in up to 9 percent of patients.

Hematuria (blood in the urine) was observed in almost 40% of patients. In severe cases, bleeding can cause blood clots and “unpleasant” discomfort.

process

Surgery cures the majority of kidney cancer patients who have not progressed beyond the kidney. However, prevention is always better than treatment, so it is advisable to avoid risk factors for kidney cancer. Therefore, avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping your blood pressure in the optimal range can prevent this deadly illness.

(Dr. Tejendra Singh Chauhan, Senior Consultant Nephrology, Fortis Escorts Hospital,
Faridabad)

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