Risk factors

Factors that can increase the risk of kidney cancer include:

• Older age. Your risk of kidney cancer increases as you age.
• Smoking. Smokers have a greater risk of kidney cancer than nonsmokers do. The risk decreases after you quit.
• Obesity. People who are obese have a higher risk of kidney cancer than people who are considered to have a healthy weight.
• High blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure increases your risk of kidney cancer.
• Treatment for kidney failure. People who receive long-term dialysis to treat chronic kidney failure have a greater risk of developing kidney cancer.
• Certain inherited syndromes. People who are born with certain inherited syndromes may have an increased risk of kidney cancer, such as those who have von Hippel-Lindau disease, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma or familial renal cancer.
• Family history of kidney cancer. The risk of kidney cancer is higher if close family members have had the disease.