Causes and Risk Factors of Advanced Kidney Cancer
What are the causes of advanced kidney cancer?
All of the cells in your body contain genes. Genes act as instructions, telling the cell what to do. When cells are cancerous, something has changed, or mutated, those instructions. This causes the cells to act abnormally. They will keep dividing, making more and more cancer cells.
When cancer cells from the kidney spread through the body and form tumors, this is referred to as advanced kidney cancer.
Unlike some other diseases, there is no one single cause of advanced kidney cancer. Researchers believe that genetic factors are linked to an increase in the risk of kidney cancer. They also believe that nongenetic factors, such as smoking and obesity, may contribute or lead to a higher incidence of kidney cancer. Scientists have studied advanced kidney cancer for years but don't completely understand how it develops. Continuing research may eventually provide answers.
What are the risk factors for advanced kidney cancer?
Knowing some of the risks of kidney cancer is an important way to be proactive about your health.
The majority of kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas. While there is no single known cause of kidney cancer, some of the risk factors of this disease include:
- Age: As a person gets older, the risk of renal cell carcinoma increases. This disease occurs mostly in people over the age of 55
- Gender: Men are more likely than women to develop renal cell carcinoma
- Smoking: People who smoke have a higher risk of developing renal cell carcinoma—and the longer you have been a smoker, the higher the risk. The good news is that quitting can reduce your risk
- Obesity: People who are overweight have an increased risk of renal cell carcinoma
- High blood pressure: Although the reason is unclear, high blood pressure seems to increase the risk of renal cell carcinoma
- Chemical exposure in the workplace: People who work with certain chemicals (such as asbestos, cadmium, and trichloroethylene) may have an increased risk of renal cell carcinoma
- Treatment for kidney failure: People with chronic kidney failure who have been treated with long-term dialysis as well as those who have had a kidney transplant and take immunosuppressant medication have a higher risk of developing renal cell carcinoma
- Genetic factors: Certain inherited disorders make a person more likely to develop one or more renal cell carcinomas
Though you may not hear much about kidney cancer, about 51,000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year in the United States alone. The good news is that there are more than 200,000 kidney cancer survivors living in the United States today!
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Afinitor is a prescription medicine used to treat people with advanced kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma or RCC) when certain other medicines have not worked (ie, Sutent® [sunitinib] or Nexavar® [sorafenib]).
Important Safety Information
Patients should not take AFINITOR if they are allergic to AFINITOR or to any of its ingredients. Patients should tell their healthcare provider before taking AFINITOR if they are allergic to sirolimus (Rapamune®) or temsirolimus (Torisel®).
AFINITOR can cause serious side effects including lung or breathing problems, infections and kidney failure, which can even lead to death. If patients experience these side effects, they may need to stop taking AFINITOR for a while or use a lower dose. Patients should follow their healthcare provider's instructions.
Lung or Breathing Problems: In some patients, lung or breathing problems may be severe, and can even lead to death. Patients should tell their healthcare provider right away if they have any of these symptoms: new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, difficulty breathing or wheezing.
Infections: AFINITOR may make patients more likely to develop an infection, such as pneumonia, or a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection. Viral infections may include reactivation of hepatitis B in people who have had hepatitis B in the past. In some people these infections may be severe, and can even lead to death. Patients may need to be treated as soon as possible. Patients should tell their healthcare provider right away if they have a temperature of 100.5°F or above, chills, or do not feel well. Symptoms of hepatitis B or infection may include the following: fever, skin rash, joint pain and inflammation, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, pale stool or dark urine, yellowing of the skin, or pain in the upper right side.
Kidney Failure: AFINITOR may cause kidney failure. In some people this may be severe and can even lead to death. Patients should have tests to check their kidney function before and during their treatment with AFINITOR.
Mouth Ulcers: AFINITOR can cause mouth ulcers and sores. Patients should tell their healthcare provider if they have pain, discomfort, or open sores in their mouth. Their healthcare provider may tell them to use a special mouthwash or mouth gel that does not contain alcohol or peroxide.
Blood Tests: Patients will have regular blood tests before they start AFINITOR and as needed during their treatment. These will include tests to check the patient's blood cell count, kidney and liver function, and blood sugar levels.
Other Medicines/Food and AFINITOR: AFINITOR may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines can affect how AFINITOR works. Using AFINITOR with other medicines can cause serious side effects. Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all of the medicines they take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements such as: St. John's Wort and medicine for fungal infections, bacterial infections, tuberculosis, seizures, HIV-AIDS, heart conditions or high blood pressure, and medicines that suppress their immune system. Patients should not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit during their treatment with AFINITOR as it may make the amount of AFINITOR in their blood increase to a harmful level.
Patients should not take AFINITOR tablets which are broken or crushed. Patients should not chew or crush the tablets.
Liver Problems and Other Medical Conditions: The amount of AFINITOR in the blood was increased in patients who had liver problems. Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all their medical conditions including if they have or have had liver problems, diabetes or high blood sugar, high cholesterol levels, infections, hepatitis B, or other medical conditions.
Vaccinations: Patients should tell their healthcare provider if they are scheduled to receive any vaccinations. Patients should not receive a live vaccine or be around people who have recently received a live vaccine during treatment with AFINITOR.
Use in Pregnancy: It is not known if AFINITOR will harm an unborn baby. Women should use effective birth control while using AFINITOR and for 8 weeks after stopping treatment.
Common Side Effects: Common side effects of AFINITOR include mouth ulcers; feeling weak or tired; cough and shortness of breath; diarrhea; skin problems (such as rash, dry skin, and itching); nausea and vomiting; fever; loss of appetite; swelling of arms, hands, feet, ankles, face or other parts of the body; abnormal taste; inflammation of lining of the digestive system; headache; nose bleeds; and pain in arms and legs.
Patients should tell their healthcare provider if they have any side effect that bothers them or does not go away.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for AFINITOR
Sutent®, Rapamune® and Torisel® are registered trademarks of Pfizer Inc.
Nexavar® is a registered trademark of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
