History of Urinary Tract Infection and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma

• Published in: American journal of epidemiology Vol. 159; no. 1; pp. 42 - 48
• Main Authors: Parker, Alexander S., Cerhan, James R., Lynch, Charles F., Leibovich, Bradley C., Cantor, Kenneth P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cary, NC Oxford University Press 01.01.2004; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the urinary system; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinogens; carcinoma; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - etiology; Case-Control Studies; confidence interval; Diet; Digestive system; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Iowa - epidemiology; Kidney Neoplasms - epidemiology; Kidney Neoplasms - etiology; Kidneys; Life Style; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; odds ratio; RCC; Registries; renal cell; renal cell carcinoma; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Smoking; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxicology; Tumors of the urinary system; urinary tract infection; urinary tract infections; Urinary Tract Infections - complications; UTI; Iowa; Kidney disease; Human; Urinary system disease; Carcinoma; Tobacco smoking; Urinary tract disease; Case control study; Malignant tumor; Urinary tract; Epidemiology; Infection; renal cell; case-control studies; smoking; urinary tract infections; Risk factor; Bacteriosis; Grawitz tumor; Cell; Antecedent
• ISSN: 0002-9262; 1476-6256; 0002-9262
• DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwh014

Limited data exist regarding whether a history of urinary tract infection (UTI) increases risk of developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Furthermore, it is unclear whether any association of RCC with a history of UTIs is modified by known risk factors for RCC (i.e., smoking, obesity). The authors report data from a 1986–1989 population-based case-control study in Iowa. RCC cases (233 males, 139 females) were identified through the Iowa Cancer Registry; controls (1,497 males, 751 females) were randomly selected from the general population, frequency matched on age and sex. Subjects provided detailed information on demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, dietary, and medical history risk factors. In age-adjusted analysis, risk increased for subjects who self-reported a history of physician-diagnosed kidney or bladder infection (odds ratio (OR) = 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5, 2.5) compared with those reporting no such history. Both sex and smoking status modified the risk of RCC associated with a history of UTI, with the strongest risk reported for males (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.9, 3.8) and current smokers (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.7, 6.7). The strongest risk was reported for male current smokers with a history of UTI (OR = 9.7, 95% CI: 5.0, 18.1). Multivariate adjustment for anthropometric, lifestyle, and dietary factors did not alter these findings. Results suggest a positive association of UTI history with RCC development, with elevated risks most notable for males with a history of smoking.