World Kidney Cancer Day 2022: Overuse of painkillers, smoking can put you at risk of this fatal disease

One of the most repeated lines that we often hear about any kind of cancer is that, “If it's caught in the early stages, it is curable”. However, not every type of cancer has early symptoms, or in some cases the signs are so subtle that we often ignore them. One such type of cancer is kidney cancer.

Kidney cancer barely has any signs in its early stages and is mostly detected when it has reached very advanced stages and caused irreparable damage to the kidney. However, on World Kidney Cancer Day 2022, learn about the factors that put you at risk of kidney cancer.

Smoking

Yes, smoking doesn’t only harm your lungs, and heightens the risk of lung cancer but can also causes considerable damage to your kidney and can make you more prone to kidney cancer. In fact, studies have shown that smoking tobacco can double the chances of developing kidney cancer. It is said that smoking is linked with about 30% of kidney cancers in men and about 25% in women.

High Blood Pressure
Kidney cancer risk is significantly higher in those with higher systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Unfortunately, even if you maintain your blood pressure through medication, the risk persists.

Overuse of Painkillers
Several studies have shown that if painkillers are taken for a long period of time, and on a regular basis, it puts an individual at a greater risk of kidney cancer. While these painkillers may be useful to relieve pain, they sometimes affect the flow of blood in the kidney, reducing its ability to perform tasks, which can move forward, and lead to kidney cancer.

Obesity
Several studies have conclusively shown that obesity increases the risk of several types of cancer. One such type of cancer is kidney cancer.

Gender
Kidney cancer is twice as likely to impact men as compared to women. Historically, the reason for it has been that men are more common smokers, and exposed to harmful chemicals at work, that causes this ailment.

Lastly, those who have been undergoing dialysis for a long time are also more prone to this ailment.