Risk factors for renal cell carcinoma: results of a population-based case-control study

Abstract

For a case-control study of risk factors for renal cell carcinoma, a mailed questionnaire was used to collect data on 518 cases and 1,381 population-based controls in Ontario, Canada. Active cigarette smoking increased risk twofold among males (odds ratio estimate [OR] = 2.0, 95 percent confidence interval (CI) = 1.4-2.8) and females (OR = 1.9, CI = 1.3-2.6). Passive smoking appeared to increase risk somewhat among nonsmokers (males: OR = 1.6, CI = 0.5-4.7; females: OR = 1.7, CI = 0.8-3.4). A high Quetelet index (QI) was associated with a twofold increase in risk in both sexes, although this was based on reported weight at age 25 years for males (OR = 1.9, CI = 1.2-3.1) and five years prior to data collection for females (OR = 2.5, CI = 1.4-4.6). Diuretic use was associated with significantly increased risk among females, but not among males. Phenacetin use increased risk, while acetaminophen use was not associated with altered risk, although few subjects used either compound. Multiple urinary tract infections increased risk, but only significantly in females (OR = 1.9, CI = 1.2-2.9). Our data indicate the need for further exploration of passive smoking and diuretics as risk factors, as well as elucidation of mechanisms by which high lifetime QI and frequent urinary-tract infections might increase risk of this cancer.

Pregnancy and risk of renal cell cancer: a population-based study in Sweden

“…Compared to women with one or two births, multiparous women showed a more than two-fold risk increase, an association that was stronger among hypertensive or overweight women (Chow et al, 1995). In another study, a risk increase of similar magnitude was reported in multiparous women compared to nulliparous women, which was strictly limited to women with a previous history of foetal loss; among women with no foetal loss, the number of live Pregnancy and risk of renal cell cancer M Lambe et al births was unrelated to the risk of RCC (Kreiger et al, 1993). The latter study, as in our own, showed evidence of an inverse association between age at first birth and the risk of RCC.…”

“…The influence of number of births on the risk of RCC remains unclear with a majority of studies finding no clear relation (Wynder et al, 1974;McLaughlin et al, 1984McLaughlin et al, , 1992Cantor et al, 1993;La Vecchia et al, 1993;Mellemgaard et al, 1994;GagoDominguez et al, 1999), while some investigators have reported positive associations (Kreiger et al, 1993;Chow et al, 1995;Lindblad et al, 1995).…”

“…Two studies showed no relation between hysterectomy or oophorectomy and risk of RCC (Wynder et al, 1974;McLaughlin et al, 1984), whereas other investigators have reported an increased risk following hysterectomy (McCredie and Stewart, 1992;Mellemgaard et al, 1994;Gago-Dominguez et al, 1999) and both hysterectomy and oophorectomy (Lindblad et al, 1995). There is also some epidemiological evidence that childbearing may play a role in the development of RCC (Kreiger et al, 1993;Chow et al, 1995;Lindblad et al, 1995).…”

Cancer risk in persons receiving prescriptions for paracetamol: A Danish cohort study

“…Previous epidemiologic investigations of the association between use of paracetamol and cancer of the renal parenchyma (ie, renal cell cancer) have shown diverging results, 3,[5][6][7]13,15,17 and the weak associations identified in some of the studies may be explained by bias or uncontrolled confounding. 30 In a recent study of 1,204 matched case-control pairs, Gago-Dominguez et al 6 reported a significant odds ratio (OR) of 1.7 (95% CI, 1.3-2.1) for renal cell cancer associated with regular use of paracetamol, whereas McCredie et al, 3 in the largest study of this cancer to date, found no increase in risk of renal cell cancer among regular users of paracetamol (1,732 cases and 2,309 controls).…”

“…Some of these have reported slightly elevated risks of renal cell cancer 2,5,6 or transitional cell cancers of the renal pelvis, ureter or urinary bladder 2,7-11 with regular or long-term use of paracetamol, whereas other studies have failed to demonstrate such associations. 3,5,7,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Few other cancer sites have been examined in relation to use of paracetamol. In a recent case-control study, Cramer et al 19 reported an inverse association between paracetamol use and risk of ovarian cancer.…”