Epidemiology of Cancer Among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Compared to The General Population

Kidney disease has a major effect on global health, both as direct cause of morbidity and mortality and as an important factor for other comorbid diseases including malignancy. Different studies report a higher risk of cancer development in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the impact of less sever CKD on risk of cancer is uncertain. However, data concerning the cancer risk in Oman CKD including dialysis patients is scarce. More importantly, there is lack of information about the cancer-specific mortality in CKD and dialysis patients.

During January 2006 to December 2019, all patients with CKD and those on regular dialysis who are admitted or follow up in Royal Hospital were included for evaluation of malignancy.

During the study, a total of 2500 patients with CKD were included, of which 25 patients were found to have different types of cancers, of which 13 were male (52%) and 12 were female (48%).Most of patients 13 (52%) were senior adult (>65 years), then 11 (44%) were adult (19:64- ys) and only one case (4%) was child (<18years.). Cancer was detected in the ovaries (16%), stomach, multiple myeloma and renal (12%) each, while breast and colorectal (1 male/1 female) (8%), parathyroid, thyroid, uterus, cervix, prostate, skin, liver, lymphoma, pituitary gland, and myelofibrosis were present in 4% each. In general population, the breast cancer is the most common cancer among females, followed by thyroid cancer, and colorectal cancer while the most common cancer types among males are colorectal cancer followed by the prostate and then the Non-Hodgkin lymphoma disease.

These epidemiologic findings should prompt clinicians and health authorities to assess strategies for cancer screening in high-risk population of CKD patients. Additional studies are needed to explain the reasons for this association and represent the potential use of cancer screening in patients with CKD in Oman.

cancer, chronic kidney disease, epidemiology, hemodialysis.