Deck 30: Epidemiology of Kidney Cancer

Question 1

In 2018, 403,262 new cases were diagnosed (254,507 in men and 148,755 in women), and 175,098 individuals died from kidney cancer (113,822 men and 61,276 women).

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Both the incidence and mortality of kidney cancer have steadily decreased in the past two decades.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

While the rising incidence rates of kidney cancer may be partially attributable to improvements in imaging techniques, better detection does not fully explain the worldwide increase in mortality.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Renal cell carcinoma, arising from epithelial cells that line the renal tubules, is the most common type of kidney cancer, accounting for approximately 85-90% of all malignant kidney tumors.

Question 5

Transitional cell carcinomas, arising from epithelial cells at the junction of the renal pelvis and the ureter, constitute 5-10% of malignant kidney tumors.

Question 6

The risk factors for transitional cell carcinomas of the renal pelvis are synonymous with those for transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder.

Question 7

The three major risk factors for renal cell carcinoma are tobacco smoking, hypertension, and obesity.

Question 8

Studies of clear cell renal cell carcinoma have found mutations in the von Hippel Lindau gene in approximately 90% of cases.

Question 9

The analgesic phenacetin, once widely used, was found to increase the risk of developing renal cell carcinoma.

Question 10

Acetaminophen, a metabolite of phenacetin, has significant carcinogenic activity in the renal pelvis.

Question 11

Major risk factors for renal cell carcinoma include all of the following except:

A) chronic alcohol consumption.
B) chronic tobacco smoking.
C) obesity.
D) hypertension.

Question 12

What kidney tumor occurs primarily in children under the age of 5 years?

A) Wilms' tumor
B) Renal cell carcinoma
C) Transitional cell carcinoma
D) Sarcoma

Question 13

Clear cell carcinomas constitute what percentage of all renal cell carcinomas?

A) 55%
B) 65%
C) 75%
D) 85%

Question 14

What gene is mutated in nearly all clear cell carcinomas of the kidney?

A) BRCA1
B) BRCA2
C) von Hippel Lindau
D) NAT2

Question 15

Which of the following analgesic drugs is carcinogenic in the renal pelvis?

A) Aspirin
B) Ibuprofen
C) Acetaminophen
D) Phenacetin

Question 16

Epidemiologic studies of kidney cancer and type 2 diabetes may suffer from what type of bias?

A) Reverse causality bias
B) Differential selection bias
C) Berkson's bias
D) Protopathic bias

Question 17

Discuss the global epidemiology of kidney cancer.

Question 18

Characterize the major histologic cell types of kidney cancer.

Question 19

Discuss trends in the mortality from kidney cancer.

Question 20

Discuss the major risk factors for renal cell carcinoma.

Question 21

Discuss the importance of mutations in the von Hippel Lindau gene in the pathogenesis of clear cell carcinoma (the dominant histological cell type of renal cell carcinoma).

Question 22

Discuss the major risk factors for transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis.