Signs, Symptoms, & Risk Factors

Signs and symptoms

Most people will have at least one sign or symptom of kidney cancer. However, some people may not have any, and their kidney cancer may be accidentally found when their doctor was diagnosing or treating another health issue.

Blood in your urine (pee)

You may be able to see this at home if there’s a lot of blood. Sometimes, a tiny amount of blood may be found in a sample of your urine that you may give during a medical visit, even if you can’t see it yourself.

Lower back pain

Pain on one side, under your rib cage and deeper in your body.

Mass or lump

Located in your lower back or side, deep under the skin.

Fatigue

Cancer can change how your body uses energy, responds to stress, and controls your body’s natural rhythms, such as your sleep cycle. You may feel more tired doing your everyday tasks.

Loss of appetite, possibly causing weight loss

Cancer can change how your body processes nutrients from food. When your kidneys are not working well, fluid may build up in your body. For these reasons, you may lose weight because you eat less or feel full sooner. You may also lose weight even if you eat the same amount as usual.

Anemia

Anemia can possibly cause tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and/or a fast heartbeat. Cancer cells can remove iron from your body and cause anemia. Iron is an important mineral that helps your blood carry oxygen.

Unexplained fever without an infection

Each of these symptoms on their own does not mean you have kidney cancer. They may be a sign of other health issues as well. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your healthcare team to see if you need further testing or treatments.

Watch presentations from experts to learn more:

Disease-Related Symptom Management
Recorded in 2024

Possible causes of kidney cancer

No one knows what causes kidney cancer, but some risk factors may help cancer start and grow. Even people with no risk factors can still be diagnosed with kidney cancer.

Smoking

Around 15-20% (15-20 in 100) of all kidney cancer patients are actively smoking tobacco when diagnosed. Smoking can:

  • Change how well our body works and can encourage cancer cells to grow.
  • Cause blood pressure medicines to not work well. This can lead to high blood pressure, which has been linked to a higher chance of kidney cancer.
  • Cause damage to the heart and blood vessels, leading to poor blood flow to the kidneys. This can cause kidney damage and raise the chance of cancer.

Obesity

People who are obese are twice as likely to develop cancer.

  • Too much body fat raises levels of insulin, a hormone that is known to help cancers start.
  • Being obese can cause long-term inflammation (swelling) in the body and raise the chance of kidney cancer.
  • Fat cells may interfere with the processes that stop cancer cells from growing in the kidney.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure can damage the arteries in the kidneys, which can stop them from working the way they should. This can allow cancer cells to grow more easily, even if someone uses high blood pressure medicine.

Chronic kidney disease

People with chronic (long-term) kidney disease, especially those needing dialysis, have a higher chance of kidney cancer. Dialysis is a treatment that removes waste from the body if a person’s kidneys don’t work the way they should.

Genetic (or hereditary) factors

Some genetic conditions can raise the chance of kidney cancer. These genetic conditions are caused by changes (mutations) in DNA that are passed down through genes from a parent. However, having other family members with kidney cancer does not always mean a person has inherited a gene that causes kidney cancer.

These genetic conditions include:

  • Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome
  • Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) syndrome
  • Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC)
  • Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma (HPRCC)
  • Tuberous sclerosis

Cancers due to these conditions make up a small number of kidney cancer cases, less than 5% (5 in100).

Exposure to certain chemicals

Exposures to certain chemicals can raise the chance of kidney cancer, such as:These genetic conditions include:

  • Refrigerants
  • Solvents
  • Adhesives
  • Paint and paint removers
  • Pesticides

These chemicals can be hard for the kidneys to filter out. They stay in the kidneys and make cell mutations (changes) more likely.

Sex

Kidney cancer is twice as common in males as in females.

Race and ethnicity

Black Americans and other ethnic minorities, such as American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, have a slightly higher chance of kidney cancer.

References:

  1. American Cancer Society
  1. Healthline.com
  1. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  1. National Cancer Institute
  1.  Kim CS, Han KD, Choi HS, Bae EH, Ma SK, Kim SW. Association of Hypertension and Blood Pressure With Kidney Cancer Risk: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study. Hypertension. 2020 Jun;75(6):1439-1446. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.14820. Epub 2020 Apr 27.
  1. Gluba-Brzózka A, Rysz J, Ławiński J, Franczyk B. Renal Cell Cancer and Obesity. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Mar 21;23(6):3404.
  1. Peters CE, Parent MÉ, Harris SA, et al. Workplace exposure to asbestos and the risk of kidney cancer in Canadian men. Can J Public Health Rev Can Santé Publique. 2018;109(4):464-472.
  1. Hu J, Mao Y, White K, The Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group. Renal cell carcinoma and occupational exposure to chemicals in Canada. Occup Med. 2002;52(3):157-164.
  1.  Song J kun, Luo H, Yin X hai, et al. Association between cadmium exposure and renal cancer risk: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Sci Rep. 2015;5(1):17976.
  1.  Shearer JJ, Callahan CL, Calafat AM, et al. Serum Concentrations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2021;113(5):580-587.
  1. National Cancer Institute
  1. Grant EJ, Yamamura M, Brenner AV, et al. Radiation Risks for the Incidence of Kidney, Bladder and Other Urinary Tract Cancers: 1958-2009. Radiat Res. 2021;195(2):140-148.
  1. Andrew AS, Li M, Shi X, Rees JR, Craver KM, Petali JM. Kidney Cancer Risk Associated with Historic Groundwater Trichloroethylene Contamination. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(2):618.

Information on this page last reviewed: January, 2025

Kidney Cancer Essentials

Diagnosis & Treatment

Living with Kidney Cancer

Populations at Higher Risk

Keep Learning:

The Kidney Cancer Association provides educational literature for anyone impacted by kidney cancer.

Request You Free Copy Today