Causes And Risk Factors Linked To Kidney Cancer

Long-Term Dialysis

Individuals being treated with long-term dialysis are more likely to develop kidney cancer than the rest of the population. Long-term dialysis is a type of treatment utilized in patients with end-stage renal disease and chronic kidney disease who are waiting for or unable to undergo a kidney transplant. The research community strongly believes the increased risk of kidney cancer in dialysis patients is attributed more to their end-stage kidney disease than it is to dialysis itself. Because the kidneys play a role in an individual's immunity, the end-stage renal disease can cause them to be immunocompromised. These immunocompromised individuals are more likely to develop cancer because their immune system is less effective at detecting and eradicating cancerous and precancerous cells in their body. On the other hand, younger patients undergoing dialysis for chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease have proven to have a stronger inflammatory response during the beginning of treatment due to external stimulation by the mechanism of dialysis itself. This inflammatory response causes cellular damage and can result in tumorigenesis in the kidney tissues.

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