It’s important for people to be aware of the symptoms and risk factors for kidney cancer, particularly those individuals with a family history of the disease.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for kidney cancer include:

• Smoking – Smokers develop kidney cancer more often than nonsmokers do
• Obesity
• Workplace exposure to some industrial chemicals, including the solvent trichloroethylene, aristolochic acid, and the metal cadmium
• Gender – Men develop kidney cancer at nearly twice the rate women do
• Age – The average age of people diagnosed with kidney cancer is 64
• Advanced kidney disease
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Genetic conditions that can lead to familial renal cancer, such as von Hippel-Lindau disease, hereditary papillary renal-cell carcinoma, hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal-cell carcinoma, Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) syndrome and, as discovered by our own investigators, germline BAP1 mutations

Symptoms

Early-stage kidney cancer doesn’t always exhibit symptoms. People who do have symptoms with kidney cancer may experience:

• Blood in the urine
• Non-injury-related pain in one side of the lower back
• A lump on the lower back or side
• Unexplained fatigue or weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Prolonged and unexplained fever

See a doctor if you experience symptoms of kidney cancer.

When appropriate, patients can meet with our clinical geneticists, who can help determine if there is a familial risk for kidney cancer that could affect relatives.

If you are diagnosed with the disease, UT Southwestern’s Kidney Cancer Program offers a range of the most advanced treatments and technological innovation.

Request an Appointment

To schedule a visit with a kidney cancer specialist at UT Southwestern’s facilities in Dallas or to learn more about our services, request an appointment or call 214-645-8300.