The Kidney Cancer Working Group

Kidney cancer is the seventh most common cancer in Europe, with more than 115 000 cases diagnosed every year and 49 000 deaths annually [1]. Incidence rates have been increasing in several European countries; however, the reasons for this are poorly understood, and the risk factors for kidney cancer are still poorly characterized. The major aim of the EPIC Kidney Cancer Working Group is to identify risk factors, evaluate their role and uncover biological mechanisms, with the ultimate goal of identifying primary prevention strategies. The risk factors evaluated so far include hypertension [2], obesity [3], smoking [4], and several dietary factors [5,6].

Since biological mechanisms remain to be elucidated, research projects are under way to study metabolic pathways involved in kidney carcinogenesis. This approach may also be useful in finding an explanation for the commonly observed protective effect of alcohol on kidney cancer, which appears not to be due to the related fluid intake [7].

Selected publications:

  1. Ferlay J et al. GLOBOCAN 2012 v1.0, Cancer Incidence and Mortality Worldwide: IARC CancerBase No. 11. [Internet]. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; Available from: http://globocan.iarc.fr, accessed on 21/03/2014. 2012.
  2. Weikert S et al. Blood pressure and risk of renal cell carcinoma in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition. Am J Epidemiol, 2008 Feb 15;167(4):438-46. PMID: 18048375
  3. Pischon T et al. Body size and risk of renal cell carcinoma in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Int J Cancer, 2006 Feb 1;118(3):728-38. PMID: 16094628
  4. Agudo A et al. Impact of cigarette smoking on cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition study. J Clin Oncol, 2012 Dec 20;30(36):4550-7. PMID: 23169508
  5. Allen NE et al. A prospective analysis of the association between macronutrient intake and renal cell carcinoma in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int J Cancer, 2009 Aug 15;125(4):982-7. PMID: 19415751
  6. Weikert S et al. Fruits and vegetables and renal cell carcinoma: findings from the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC). Int J Cancer, 2006 Jun 15;118(12):3133-9. PMID: 16425278
  7. Allen NE et al. Fluid intake and incidence of renal cell carcinoma in UK women. Br J Cancer, 2011 Apr 26;104(9):1487-92. PMID: 21407222

Contact details/Working Group leaders

Professor Dr Heiner Boeing
Department of Epidemiology
German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE)
Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116
14558 Nuthetal, Germany
boeing@dife.de

Dr Annika Steffen
Department of Epidemiology
German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE)
Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116
14558 Nuthetal, Germany
annika.steffen@dife.de