Kidney cancer has shown a significant upward trend in this century, both globally and in mainland China. On the one hand, this may be due to the increasing availability of diagnostic imaging techniques, such as ultrasound, CT, and MRI, which allow more patients with early-stage kidney cancer to be detected in a timely manner; on the other hand, with the globalization of modern lifestyle and diet, the risk factors for the development of kidney cancer are increasing.
About 140,000 people die from kidney cancer each year worldwide
Globally, kidney cancer is among the most common cancers. It is the 6th and 10th most prevalent cancer in men and women, respectively, accounting for 5% and 3% of cases of each cancer. It causes about 140,000 deaths each year and is 13th on the cancer mortality “list.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 4.4 kidney cancers per 100,000 people. Developed countries such as North America, Western Europe, and Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest incidence and mortality rates for kidney cancer in the world.
The incidence of kidney cancer in China is lower than in developed countries, with 68,300 new cases in 2014, accounting for 1.8% of all cancers and ranking 15th; 25,600 kidney cancer-related deaths, accounting for 1.11% of all cancers, also ranking 15th. There are 3.4 kidney cancer patients per 100,000 people in China.
What are the main risk factors for the development of kidney cancer?
The most important risk factors affecting the incidence of kidney cancer are age and sex, and the World Health Organization statistics are generally consistent with the situation in China:
- Age: The risk increases gradually over age 40, with the greatest risk occurring in the 60- to 70-year-old age group.
- Gender: The prevalence in men was about 1.5 to 2 times higher than that in women, and the gender difference became more pronounced with increasing age.
Other possible risk factors include:
- Lifestyle-related factors.
- Prolonged intake of a high-calorie diet leading to obesity;
- Lack of exercise;
- Lack of vegetables and fruits in the daily diet;
- Smoking: the higher the frequency and the longer the duration, the greater the risk.
- With various disease factors.
- hypertension;
- Urinary calculi;
- Diabetes mellitus;
- Chronic liver disease or kidney disease.
- Fertility factors: Multiple births can lead to an increased risk of kidney cancer.
- Long-term or high-dose use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be associated with kidney cancer.
- Environmental factors: Exposure to various carcinogens at work, such as trichloroethylene.
Do I need to get early screening for kidney cancer?
Early kidney cancer can be cured by surgery, so early detection is very important. Because of the low incidence of kidney cancer in China, routine screening is not currently recommended. However, middle-aged men with multiple well-defined risk factors, such as obesity, hypertension, and long-term smoking, can ask their doctor to focus on imaging of the kidneys during their annual physical exam.
How to prevent kidney cancer?
In recent years, the incidence of kidney cancer in China has been on a significant rise, more pronounced in urban areas. It is necessary for people at high risk to improve their lifestyle, quit smoking early, eat healthy, and exercise actively to reduce the risk of developing the disease.
- A healthy diet, avoiding high sugar and high fat diet;
- Supplementation with adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage, and radish;
- Being active and participating in regular exercise to control appropriate weight;
- Smoking cessation helps reduce the risk of kidney cancer, and the longer you quit, the lower the risk of developing the disease;
- Actively treat all kinds of chronic diseases, follow up regularly and take medications as prescribed by doctors.