European epidemiology of kidney cancer

Kidney cancer represents a substantial and heterogeneous health burden across Europe. Using contemporary GLOBOCAN 2024 estimates, we provide a granular assessment of kidney cancer epidemiology across European countries, integrating geographical, sex- and age-specific, temporal, and socioeconomic patterns with evidence on risk factors and the relationship between kidney cancer and kidney disease. In 2024, an estimated 116,582 new cases and 42,516 deaths occurred across the countries included. Although the absolute burden was greatest in Western Europe, median country-specific age-standardized incidence rates were highest in Northern and Eastern Europe, illustrating marked geographical heterogeneity. Kidney cancer occurred almost twice as frequently in males as in females, and most cases and deaths occurred after 60 years of age. Incidence has increased or remained stable in most European populations, while mortality has declined or stabilized in many countries. Demographic projections indicate that, if 2024 rates remain unchanged, incident cases may increase by 18.7% and deaths by 38.9% by 2050. Higher incidence in more affluent European countries does not consistently parallel the geographical distribution of established risk factors and may also reflect differences in diagnostic intensity, cancer registration, and healthcare access. Kidney cancer and chronic kidney disease share major metabolic and behavioural risk factors, while epidemiological and experimental evidence supports a potentially bidirectional relationship between kidney injury and renal carcinogenesis. These interactions highlight an important role for nephrology in kidney cancer prevention, preservation of kidney function, and multidisciplinary cancer care.