Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2025
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Modeling Spontaneous Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma mRCC in Mice Following Nephrectomy
Published on: April 29, 2014
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Causal Relationship Between Kidney Function and Cancer Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Ellen Dobrijevic1, Anita van Zwieten1, Andrew J Grant2
1Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Kidney Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia.
Summary
This study investigated if reduced kidney function causes cancer. Using Mendelian randomization, we found no evidence of a causal link between kidney function (eGFR and UACR) and overall cancer incidence or mortality.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Patients on kidney replacement therapy face higher cancer risks.
- The causal relationship between earlier chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cancer remains unclear.
- Potential confounding factors include immune suppression and inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal association between reduced kidney function and cancer incidence/mortality.
- To determine if estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-creatine ratio (UACR) causally influence cancer risk.
Main Methods:
- Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
- Utilized genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for eGFR and UACR.
- Included cancer outcome data from the UK Biobank.
Main Results:
- Genetically predicted kidney function (eGFR and UACR) showed no association with overall cancer risk or cancer-related death.
- Odds ratios for eGFR and UACR association with cancer incidence were 0.88 and 0.90, respectively.
- While nonlinearity was observed for eGFR, stratified MR found no causal association with cancer.
Conclusions:
- The study found no evidence of a causal association between reduced kidney function and overall cancer incidence or cancer-related death.
- Limitations include potential reduced instrument strength for UACR due to sample overlap.
- Further research may be needed to explore complex interactions in specific cancer types.
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