What causes kidney cancer (renal cell cancer)?
A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’. (See separate leaflet called ‘Cancer – What Causes Cancer’ for more details.) In the UK, around 4,600 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. Many people develop kidney cancer for no apparent reason. However, certain risk factors increase the chance that kidney cancer may develop. These include: • Age. Most cases develop in people over the age of 60. It is uncommon in people under 50. It is also more common in men. • Smoking. About a third of kidney cancers are thought to be caused by smoking. Some of the chemicals from tobacco get into the body and are passed out in urine. These chemicals in the urine can be carcinogenic (damaging) to kidney tubule cells. • Other chemical carcinogens. Some workplace chemicals have been linked to an incr
