What are risk factors for kidney cancer?
Risk factors increase the risk for a person getting kidney cancer, but not everyone with a risk factor gets kidney cancer. • Smoking – People who smoke have a much higher risk of getting kidney cancer than non-smokers. • Medical conditions – People with von Hippel-Lindaus and hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma tend to develop kidney cancer. • Pain medication – Overuse and misuse of certain pain medication increases the risk for kidney cancer. • Obesity – People who are obese have a higher risk of kidney cancer. What are prevention strategies for kidney cancer? There are no established prevention guidelines for kidney cancer, but there are ways to decrease risk factors. • Smoking – Avoid smoking, and if you current smoke, quit (link to tobacco prevention page) smoking. • Pain medication – Use pain medication only as directed by your doctor. • Diet – It is important to eat a diet low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables. This helps to maintain a healthy body weight. Is screeni
