Question ID: WS-5
Submitted by: Lewis Kuller
January 21, 2011
Hypertension and kidney cancer – Hypertension is a major risk factor for kidney cancer independent of obesity, race, cigarette smoking and renal disease. There is also a substantial increased risk of kidney cancer among patients with chronic kidney disease, i.e. on dialysis. Clear cell renal carcinoma is often associated with mutations in the von Hippel Landau tumor suppressor gene, an important regulator of hypoxia inducible genes. Hypertension may cause renal cell hypoxia and increased hypoxia inducible factors, which could be related to hyperplasia and renal cell carcinoma. Hypertension is also associated with increased angiotensin-1, an important cell proliferator. There are very few studies that determine whether specific antihypertensive drugs increase or decrease the risk of renal cell carcinoma. We would hypothesize that antihypertensive drugs, which are direct renin inhibitors would reduce the risk of renal cell carcinoma. A well done case-control study could perhaps determine the relationship of specific drug therapy for hypertension and renal cell carcinoma, the characteristics, i.e. presence or absence of specific Von Hippel Landau mutations, somatic mutations. Similarly, the massive national dialysis data base may be queried to determine the risk and characteristics of patients who develop renal cell carcinoma.
| This question has not yet been evaluated by users |
Comments
