Family History of Cancers Increases Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Chinese Population

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the impact of family history (FH) on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and its pathological subtype clear cell RCC (ccRCC) in a Chinese population; a significant association has previously been determined not only in familial cancer syndrome but also in sporadic cases in western populations.

Methods: Consecutive patients with kidney tumors from October 2017 to May 2021 at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai were enrolled in the study. Demographic and clinical information was collected, including age, gender, FH (positive or negative, types of cancers, degree of relatives, etc.), pathological diagnosis, and Fuhrman grades.

Results: A positive FH of any cancer was observed in 26.5% of the RCC patients, while only 16.8% patients with benign kidney tumor were found to have a positive FH. A strong correlation was observed between FH of any cancers in first-degree relatives and RCC (odds ratio [OR]=4.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.95-10.85, P=5.50×10^-5) or ccRCC (OR=4.63, 95% CI: 1.95-11.02, P=9.63×10^-5). In subgroup analysis, FH of digestive cancers was significantly associated with RCC (OR=4.42, 95% CI: 1.35-14.51, P=0.005) or ccRCC (OR=4.14, 95% CI: 1.25-13.75, P=6.84×10^-4). Similar results were found in multivariate analyses. However, no significant association was observed between FH and age at onset.

Conclusion: FH was an independent risk factor for RCC and ccRCC in this Chinese population. FH of any cancer in first-degree relatives and FH of digestive cancers were found to be the most significant risk factors for kidney cancers.

Keywords: Chinese population; family history; multivariate regression analysis; renal cell carcinoma; risk factor.

Figure 1

Results of Kaplan–Meier survival analyses: (A) association between FH of all cancer and age at onset of RCC; (B) association between FH in first-degree relatives and age at onset of RCC; (C) association between FH of digestive cancer and age at onset of RCC; (D) association between FH of all cancer and age at onset of ccRCC; (E) association between FH in first-degree relatives and age at onset of ccRCC; (F) association between FH of digestive cancer and age at onset of ccRCC. P-values obtained by log-rank test. HR obtained by log-rank test, with 95% CI in parentheses.

Figure 2

Graphic presenting significant correlations between FH and RCC. FH of any cancers in first-degree relatives and FH of digestive cancers are considered as risk factors for RCC.