Long-term Data Suggests Earlier Detection Improves Kidney Cancer Outcomes

The incidence and mortality from kidney cancer increased from 1990-2019 across most of the European Union’s (EU) 15+ countries and World Health Organization (WHO) regions, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.

“In recent decades, significant variability in incidence and mortality of kidney cancer was noted worldwide, with an average age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of 4.6 per 100,000 noted in 2020 and an average age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of 1.8 per 100,000,” according to the study’s researchers.

Variability exists between rates among males and females, as well as between developed and developing countries.

In this study, the researchers aimed to compare kidney cancer trends among countries in the EU 15+ cohort and the six WHO regions from 1990-2019. They extracted data on kidney cancer ASIRs, ASMRs, and age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from the Global Burden of Disease database. In doing so, they identified several trends.

During this period, the ASIR increased in most countries except for males in Luxembourg, females in the United States, and both sexes in Austria and Sweden. ASIR also increased across all WHO regions for both sexes except for females in the United States.

“The rise in incidence is likely in part due to greater detection of early-stage kidney cancer on cross-sectional imaging and partly due to the increasing prevalence of smoking, obesity, and hypertension which are among the strongest risk factors of kidney cancer,” the researchers wrote. “Another potential cause of the rising incidence is the higher utilization of imaging and discovery of incidental small renal masses, which account for nearly half of the new cases of renal cell carcinoma.”

Overall, there was an increase of 19.4% in ASMR globally for males and a decrease of 2.3% for females. ASMR increased in 10 of the 19 countries for males and 9 of the 19 countries for females, as well as across most WHO regions.

The mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) decreased in all countries and regions examined. The researchers suggested a reason for this may be “partly due to the stage migration with the detection of lower stage disease on cross-sectional imaging.”

During the 29-year span of the study, there was a 13.1% increase in DALYs globally for males and a decrease of 9.4% for females.

“A further study among lower-income countries would help identify the burden of disease across these regions and subsequently enable appropriate strategies to be developed to bridge disparities across countries and optimize patient care,” the researchers concluded.